Council Boss Destroys Opposition Billboards in Bomadi, PDP Alleges ‘Thuggery’

Rita Enemuru, Reporting

TENSIONS are rising in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, after the council chairman, Hon. Andaye Dagidi, was filmed allegedly tearing down billboards and posters belonging to an opposition political candidate.

A video obtained shows the council chairman personally overseeing the destruction of campaign materials belonging to Dr. Louis Otuisi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.

According to a strongly worded statement from the PDP Delta State chapter, Hon. Dagidi has claimed he was acting on direct instructions from the state governor, Rt. (Hon.) Elder Sheriff Oborevwori. The party has dismissed this assertion outright.

“We believe that Governor Sheriff cannot give such directives – a practice only entertained by thugs. This is an invitation to anarchy,” said Chief Kingsley Akpos Oturubo, the party’s publicity secretary.

The PDP has condemned the council chairman’s actions as “provocative acts of thuggery and brigandage,” demanding that he immediately reinstall every damaged billboard belonging to Dr. Otuisi.

“Nigeria is practising multi-party democracy and Bomadi LGA cannot be an exception,” the statement added.

The party has appealed to its supporters to remain law-abiding despite what it called an “unprovoked assault,” while calling on Governor Oborevwori to call his council chairman to order.

Security agencies have also been urged to take note of Hon. Dagidi’s conduct. The PDP warned that he should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the council area, adding that none of Dr. Otuisi’s billboards had been installed illegally.

“If the chairman does not know or understand his position as a public office holder, then we will teach him what the law says he should do,” Chief Oturubo said. “It is so embarrassing that a public office holder has turned himself into a thug or street urchin, perpetrating criminal acts to heat up the polity.”

The party vowed to petition security agents for the chairman’s arrest if he repeats what it described as a “primitive act of lawlessness.”

As of the time of publication, Hon. Dagidi and the governor’s office had not issued an official response to the allegations.