Tension erupted in parts of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State after angry youths in Nrobo community set ablaze campaign billboards belonging to President Bola Tinubu and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, openly expressing frustration over alleged neglect, insecurity, and poor infrastructure in the area.
Amid the growing controversy, an aspirant of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency, Chidiebere Benjamin Oti, has strongly distanced himself from the incident, condemning the destruction as dangerous, provocative, and capable of igniting political unrest.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Oti denied any connection with those responsible for the attack on the billboards and urged security agencies to immediately investigate the incident and prosecute those involved.
“I want to clearly state that I am not in any way associated with those burning or destroying President Tinubu and Governor Mbah’s billboards in Uzo-Uwani,” Oti declared.
“Such actions do not represent my values, political ideology, or the principles of democracy. Our political differences shouldn’t amount to violence and destruction of public properties.”
The incident came to public attention after a viral video surfaced online showing furious youths tearing down and burning the campaign billboard while chanting anti-government slogans and accusing both the APC and PDP administrations of abandoning the people of Uzo-Uwani.
One of the youths in the video accused successive governments of deceiving residents with repeated promises to rehabilitate the deplorable Uzo-Uwani roads, while insecurity and killings allegedly continue unchecked across the community.
“We no longer want APC here. We don’t want PDP in Nrobo,” the youth shouted while setting the billboard on fire.
“Our people are being killed on their farms every day, and nobody cares. They keep promising us roads, but nothing changes.”
The protester further declared support for a local political figure, Matthias Ezeagu, insisting he was the only leader who truly understood the needs of the people.
The dramatic destruction of the campaign materials has since triggered concerns among political stakeholders over rising anger among rural communities ahead of future political activities in the state.
Reacting to the development, Oti warned against allowing public frustration to degenerate into violence and destruction, insisting that grievances must be addressed through lawful and democratic means.
He noted that although many residents were dissatisfied with the level of government presence and development in Uzo-Uwani, vandalism and politically motivated attacks would only deepen tensions and threaten the peace of the area.
“Politics should not be reduced to violence, intimidation, or destruction of property. Democracy thrives on tolerance, healthy competition, and respect for differing opinions,” he said.
The NDC aspirant also appealed to political supporters and residents to remain calm and avoid actions capable of triggering conflict, emphasizing his commitment to peaceful and issue-based politics.
Observers say the incident reflects growing discontent among residents over insecurity, poor road infrastructure, and what many describe as years of government neglect in parts of Enugu State.
Security agencies are yet to officially comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.