The sealing of the business premises of a chieftain of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Alex Tobore Agbah, in Ughelli, Delta State, has sparked controversy, with opposition figures and supporters alleging political intimidation.
The premises was sealed on Sunday, October 4, 2026, reportedly on the orders of the Ughelli North Local Government Council, headed by the Executive Chairman, Olorogun Jaro Egbo.
The development came a day after Agbah organised a 10,000-man “Match Against Hunger” in Ughelli to protest what participants described as hardship under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The procession, which attracted thousands of participants, including a large number of NDC supporters, moved along the East-West Road from the Don Rose Event Centre towards Ekiugbo.
Sources familiar with the development alleged that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Egbo passed through Ughelli while the procession was ongoing and saw the crowd.
The sources further alleged that Agbah’s wife was subsequently contacted through a relative, who is said to be an APC women leader, and that Egbo allegedly conveyed a warning that the governor had directed that the procession be stopped or the business premises would be demolished and the branded vehicle used for the mobilisation burnt.
However, the procession continued and was completed without the reported threats being carried out.
The following day, Agbah and his family were said to have returned from church to discover that the premises had been sealed by the local government.
The council reportedly cited proximity of the building to the road as the reason for the action.
Agbah, however, questioned the justification, pointing to a bank building located farther from the road which, he said, had not been affected by the enforcement.
Reacting to the development, the NDC House of Representatives candidate, Chief Dr. Ominimini Obiuwevbi, condemned the sealing, describing it as unnecessary.
Obiuwevbi urged Egbo not to allow himself to be used against his fellow Ughelli indigene, stressing that political differences should not destroy relationships.
He said, “Politics will come and go, offices will come and go, but there is life after office. Remember, we are all brothers.”
Agbah also described the action as an abuse of office, insisting that he had neither breached any law nor had any dispute with the council chairman.
According to him, he had never had any disagreement with Egbo “politically, administratively, socially or otherwise,” adding that the development could only be connected to the 10,000-man procession organised the previous day.
An NDC supporter who spoke on the development alleged that the action reflected growing apprehension within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the increasing visibility of the opposition party in the area.
The supporter urged APC leaders and their supporters to exercise restraint, warning that excessive political confrontation could further heat up the political environment.
Political analyst, Mr. Henry Efemena, also called for caution, warning political actors against allowing the situation to escalate.
Efemena said the governor should demonstrate consistency between his public pronouncements on political tolerance and actions allegedly being taken against opposition activities.
He recalled that Oborevwori had recently advocated allowing political parties and individuals to conduct their campaigns without intimidation, arguing that alleged actions against opposition figures could undermine that position.
The controversy has also generated strong reactions on social media, with some commentators questioning whether the local government chairman could have independently ordered the sealing of the premises without political considerations.
One commentator argued that Egbo, despite his reputation for being “stubborn” and “aggressive,” would ordinarily understand the political and communal implications of taking such action against Agbah, whom he described as a fellow Ughelli indigene.
The commentator therefore alleged that the council chairman may have been pressured to act.
The allegations against Governor Oborevwori and Egbo had not been independently established as of press time.
Neither the governor nor the Ughelli North Local Government chairman had publicly responded to the allegations surrounding the sealing of Agbah’s premises.
The development has nevertheless renewed concerns among opposition supporters over the political climate in Delta State ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly regarding freedom of association, opposition activities and the right of political parties to mobilise supporters.