ENUGU, Nigeria – The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has strongly condemned an unprovoked attack on its members during a grassroots mobilization meeting in Obuoffia Ward, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, warning that political actors sponsoring thuggery against opposition supporters risk triggering retaliatory confrontations, party leadership declared in an official statement on Monday, September 14, 2026.
The opposition party characterized the disruption as part of a coordinated pattern of intimidation designed to suppress political pluralism and dismantle constitutional freedoms across the South-East geopolitical zone ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okay News reports that in an executive communique issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Osa Director, Esq., the NDC decried the continuous deployment of state-sponsored non-state armed actors against peaceful citizens exercising their fundamental rights of association and assembly as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Director warned political opponents against mistaking the party’s peaceful posture for weakness, emphasizing that democratic participation cannot be curtailed through physical coercion or organized harassment.
“The violence visited on NDC members in Enugu and other parts of the South-East is an affront to Nigeria’s democracy and a direct attack on the freedom of association guaranteed by the Constitution,” Director stated. “No individual and no political party has a monopoly on violence. Those sponsoring thugs to attack NDC members should know that we reserve the right to self-defence. No further attack on our members will be tolerated.”
The NDC expressed grave concern over what it described as the complacency and lackadaisical posture of federal security formations operating within Enugu State and the wider region, asserting that the systemic failure of law enforcement commands to apprehend known perpetrators has emboldened partisan vigilantes to operate with impunity.
Recalling recent security breaches across neighboring states, the spokesman revealed that the party had suffered two separate armed disruptions in Imo State during town hall consultations convened by its Imo East senatorial candidate, Uche Onyeagucha, without decisive administrative intervention by law enforcement commands.
The party alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has become unsettled by the growing grassroots footprint of the NDC, maintaining that violent intrusions will not derail its operational roadmap toward the 2027 polls.
“If the goal of those sponsoring these thugs and attacks is to instill fear in the hearts of the people, they have failed woefully,” Director added, noting that intimidation will only reinforce the party’s resolve to expand its electoral campaign structures across rural communities.
The NDC formally called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to direct an exhaustive investigation into the Obuoffia Ward attack, identify the masterminds, and ensure immediate prosecution to prevent electoral violence from escalating across the region.
