Delta NDC candidate alleges violence and police withdrawal from campaign

Chris Iyovwaye, the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate for governor of Delta State in the 2027 general elections, has condemned the disruption of the party’s campaign in Effurun. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Iyovwaye alleged that people seemingly sponsored by the APC stopped the campaign. He said the incident should be investigated and called on authorities to prevent similar disruptions.

Iyovwaye also alleged that a person identified as Collins was caught with an AK-47. He said some of his supporters were shot and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, adding that the hospital could be contacted as part of an investigation. These claims were not independently established in the supplied report.

The candidate said police escorts were withdrawn when the campaign reached its final location. He alleged that the police may have received instructions from senior sources to leave, describing the absence of officers as a dangerous precedent. Iyovwaye said the party had written to the Inspector-General of Police, the state Commissioner of Police and the divisional police officer before the event.

He said the local DPO had also addressed people at the starting point. He said a similar incident had occurred previously involving him and former Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, and expressed concern for his safety, his party and its supporters. The supplied material contains no response from the APC or police to the allegations.