The Interim State Executive Committee of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Imo State Chapter, has raised alarm over renewed and targeted vandalisation of campaign billboards belonging to Rt. Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere in Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas of Imo State.
In a press statement dated January 25, 2026, the party said the latest incident represents the third in a series of deliberate attacks allegedly carried out by agents linked to the Imo State Government.
The statement, signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke, JP, reaffirmed the party’s resolve, declaring: “Though the night may be long with tears and harassment, victory cometh in the morning—and that morning is near.”
According to the APP, eyewitnesses in the affected communities confirmed that members of the Imo State–owned vigilante group were sighted at night destroying the billboards.
The party alleged that at least four identified members of the vigilante group, riding on five motorcycles, were seen with pump-action guns, ladders, and matches during the operation.
The incident reportedly occurred between 9:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2026, across several locations in Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas.
APP stated that the billboards, which carried seasonal goodwill messages from the federal lawmaker, were legally installed after obtaining all regulatory approvals and making the required payments to the Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (IMSAA).
“The persistent targeting of these facilities leaves no doubt that the acts are coordinated and politically motivated,” the party said.
The APP warned that such actions pose a serious threat to the peaceful political atmosphere in Imo State and could heighten political tension if not urgently addressed.
“It is deeply regrettable that a government and ruling party that claims dominance in the political space would resort to crude acts of intolerance, apparently out of fear of the growing influence of the Action Peoples Party in Imo State,” the statement added.
The party further accused the state government of exhibiting anti-democratic tendencies, describing the alleged use of state-backed violence and intimidation as unacceptable in a democratic society.
“The deployment of criminal violence, sponsored insecurity, and thuggery as tools of political competition in 21st-century Nigeria is a grave assault on democracy and the rule of law,” APP stated.
Reacting to the incidents, the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Ernest Njesi, urged members and supporters, particularly in Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency, to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding despite what he described as continued provocation, expressing confidence that perseverance would ultimately lead to victory.
