Hoodlums have allegedly attacked the Emohua Local Government Area secretariat of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Rivers State, as the party intensifies its grassroots campaign around the message that “A New Rivers State is Possible in 2027.”
The attack, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, led to the destruction of billboards, posters and other campaign materials, while valuable items were allegedly carted away from the office.
The incident came as the NDC leadership in Rivers State continued its consultations across communities, traditional institutions, women’s groups and youth organisations in different town halls ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The consultation train, led by the state chairman of the party, Comrade Success Jack, and members of his executive, is being anchored by the media directorate of the NDC.
So far, the team has visited communities in at least 12 local government areas, where the party has lamented what it described as the deteriorating socio-political condition of Rivers State in the past three years.
In pamphlets circulated among community elites and interpreted in local languages, the campaign focused on “the Rivers State we once knew,” described as a state of opportunities, quality education, peace and growth, and the urgent need to restore that standard.
The central message of the engagement reflects on how Rivers, known as the “Treasure Base of the Nation,” has allegedly lost its position as a pace-setter because of poor leadership, excessive greed and the ambitions of some politicians.
The NDC insists that a new Rivers State, “where every citizen can dream, have opportunities and achieve their vision,” is possible under the leadership of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and Dr. Mike Barieenee Nwielaghi, the party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates, respectively.
At each of the town hall meetings held so far, the NDC flag was presented to traditional and paramount rulers, a gesture the party said symbolised unity, hope, service to the people and the collective resolve to “reclaim Rivers State’s greatness.”
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Form EC-9 bearing the name of the NDC deputy governorship candidate, Dr. Nwielaghi, which was earlier reported to have been omitted, is now being conspicuously displayed on the notice board of the commission along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway.
The alleged omission had reportedly unsettled the party’s leadership, which moved swiftly to the INEC office to verify the claim.
Party officials later blamed the rumour on mischief makers and political opponents, whom they accused of being afraid of the fast-growing popularity of the seven-month-old NDC.
Nwielaghi, a lawyer, administrator and politician, told *The Southern Examiner* that the rumour was designed to create confusion among NDC members, but had been “nipped in the bud.”
He described the NDC as the party to beat in next year’s polls.
At the national level, the party has also directed its state chairmen to immediately cross-check the documentation of all its candidates with INEC.
The move followed claims by the NDC that some of its candidates were being deliberately replaced in the commission’s published lists for the 2027 elections.
State chairmen were directed to look out for discrepancies, errors, misspelt names, wrong dates of birth, educational qualifications, constituency codes, membership numbers and any other issue connected with INEC’s published list of August 29, 2026.
In a statement dated September 1, 2026, the NDC National Vice Chairman for the South-South, Mr. Fred E. Owotorufa, directed the state chairmen to forward the information on a state-by-state basis to the party’s national chairman.
The statement also directed that scanned copies of the letters should be sent by WhatsApp to the offices of the national vice chairmen in the six geopolitical zones of the party not later than Wednesday for prompt engagement with INEC.
In Rivers State, party leaders believe the alleged attack on the Emohua secretariat is part of a wider attempt to intimidate the NDC as its message gains traction across the state.
Hon. Benson Lucky, the chairman of the party in Emohua LGA, confirmed the attack in a voice note, accusing a rival political group of responsibility, though he did not name any specific party.
Based on the advice of the state leadership of the NDC, Lucky has reported the matter at the Emohua Divisional Police Station.
A senior police officer confirmed that a report on the incident had been made.
According to the officer, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the station had already dispatched an investigation team to the area to confirm the report and take photographs where necessary.
The incident has raised concerns over the possibility of rising political violence as Rivers State moves closer to another election season.
