Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has explained the importance of political parties holding campaigns in enclosed venues, saying the arrangement would enhance security, prevent clashes and ensure peaceful political activities.
Aniagwu, who spoke on Arise News Morning Show, said the use of enclosed venues would make it easier for security agencies to manage access and maintain order, particularly in the face of heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the state government had made it clear that opposition parties seeking venues for their campaigns would be accommodated, stressing that no political party should be prevented from exercising its democratic rights.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had also adopted enclosed venues for several of its rallies across the state, including Oleh, Ozoro, Udu, Akwukwu-Igbo and Asaba.
“We have held campaigns in several communities using enclosed venues. We started our rally in Isoko, moved to Ozoro, Udu and other locations, and used enclosed venues. We also recently held activities in Asaba using the same arrangement,” he said.
Aniagwu explained that the arrangement was not intended to restrict political parties but to provide a secure environment for campaigns and prevent unnecessary confrontations.
He said the Oborevwori administration was not interested in denying opposition parties access to campaign venues, adding that the government was willing to provide suitable locations whenever requests were made.
The commissioner said political parties should be allowed to canvass for votes without intimidation, noting that elections should be decided by the electorate based on the performance and programmes of competing parties.
On the recent political violence in Asaba, Aniagwu said the state government had called for an impartial investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify anyone found culpable.
He maintained that nobody would be shielded from investigation on account of political affiliation, whether a member or supporter of the APC, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) or any other party.
According to him, the intervention of the police and other security agencies helped prevent the situation from deteriorating further and saved lives.
“Perhaps, if the police and other security agencies had not been present, the situation could have deteriorated beyond what happened. Their timely intervention, including that of some military personnel, helped to save lives,” he said.
The commissioner condemned the call for the killing of individuals allegedly involved in electoral malpractice, describing such statements as unacceptable in a democratic society.
He expressed particular concern over a video circulating on social media in which some individuals were heard calling for someone to be killed, insisting that political disagreements must never degenerate into violence or jungle justice.
Aniagwu also commended Arise News and other media organisations for condemning the call for violence, reiterating that the state government did not support electoral malpractice in any form.
Responding to suggestions that incidents involving opposition members indicated a pattern of political intolerance in Delta, he disagreed, arguing that each incident should be independently investigated before conclusions were drawn.
He cautioned against accepting allegations from any political camp without verification, saying it would be irresponsible for the government to assign blame before the security agencies completed their investigations.
The commissioner also identified longstanding political disagreements and personal political ambitions as possible factors contributing to tensions within the state's political environment.
He referred to former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, and his political ambitions, suggesting that internal political grievances were among the issues that could be examined in understanding the state's political tensions.
Aniagwu said the government would rather allow the security agencies to establish the facts than make accusations based on social media reports or accounts provided by political supporters.
On the 2027 general elections, he said the APC would rely on the performance of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to persuade voters, rather than make unrealistic projections about its expected share of the votes.
He noted that policy initiatives introduced by the Federal Government had improved the financial capacity of state governments to execute projects and programmes.
The commissioner said the party intended to take its achievements to the grassroots and encourage greater voter participation, observing that poor turnout had remained a challenge in previous elections across the country.
He listed road construction, rural connectivity, housing development, education and improved public infrastructure among the areas where the Oborevwori administration had recorded progress.
According to him, the administration had connected rural communities with urban centres through road projects, while also undertaking housing renewal and upgrading educational facilities across the state.
He particularly cited the development of technical colleges, saying the quality of facilities in some of the institutions demonstrated the administration's commitment to technical and vocational education.
Aniagwu maintained that the 2027 elections would be determined by the government's performance, its ability to communicate its achievements and the confidence it had built among the electorate.
He reiterated that political parties must be allowed to campaign freely, stressing that violence, intimidation and the denial of citizens' democratic rights had no place in the state's political process.
