By Ochuko Akuopha
NINE months after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State led stakeholders and your complete construction of the Peoples Democratic Celebration, PDP, to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, attended a stakeholders assembly of the social gathering for the primary time on Friday 23, January, 2026.
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The assembly held at Authorities Home, Asaba, was convened by Governor Oborevwori to deliberate on unity, social gathering cohesion, e-registration and the forthcoming congress.
It additionally had in attendance, the instant previous Governor of the State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Chief Festus Keyamo, Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the social gathering, Mr. Felix Morka, members of the Nationwide and State Assemblies and different notable leaders and stakeholders of the social gathering within the State.
Apart, Omo-Agege, one other shock attendee, was the member representing the Ethiope Federal Constituency, on the Home of Representatives, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu. She is the daughter of former governor of the State, Chief James Ibori.
A longstanding governorship aspirant within the State, Omo-Agege contested the 2023 gubernatorial election as candidate of the APC within the State and misplaced to Governor Oborevwori, then of the PDP.
Though he welcomed the governor into the APC and attended the April 28, 2025 formal defection ceremony, Omo-Agege had saved his distance, sustaining a deafening silence and giving nothing away as as to if he’s prepared to surrender his gubernatorial ambition or not.
Earlier than the defection, the Delta APC may very well be finest described as a home divided towards itself with the camp of Omo-Agege at loggerheads with a faction led by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Chief Festus Keyamo over management and different put up election points.
However with Oborevwori defecting to the APC, the governor has since then assumed management of the social gathering and its construction within the State, with social gathering stakeholders acknowledging him because the undisputed chief of the social gathering.
Okowa
Apart from his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who joined him to defect to the APC, Oborevwori has been having fun with large help from the Elder Omeni- Sobotie led State Working Committee of the social gathering, founding chief, Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, Chief Festus Keyamo, Senators Ned Nwoko, Ede Dafonone, Joel Onowakpo-Thomas and different outstanding stakeholders of the social gathering throughout the State.
The governor has additionally been getting complete help and collection of endorsement by APC devoted and stakeholders throughout the three senatorial districts, 10 federal constituencies and 25 native authorities areas within the State as sole gubernatorial candidate of the social gathering within the 2027 normal elections.
However with hypothesis rising about his disposition, Omo-Agege attended the stakeholders assembly and thanked Governor Oborevwori for the choice to personally invite him to the stakeholders assembly. He famous that it was the primary time he was stepping his toes in Authorities Home in over 18 years.
He stated: “I respect this chance to be right here as we speak with our leaders and pals at this pivotal second, as we chart a brand new course for our nice social gathering, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State.
“With out query, now we have constructed the APC as a formidable political platform in Delta State, and we stay wholly dedicated to its continued success. As a devoted social gathering man, I’ll preserve contributing to our collective progress and improvement.
“Because the Chief of the social gathering within the State, Mr. Governor’s management is important to the collective progress of the social gathering and good governance within the State. As a agency believer in service to our individuals, I’m able to work with the Governor and different leaders to make sure this social gathering thrives and delivers daring and sustainable advantages to our individuals.
“It’s indeniable that because the instant previous governorship candidate of this social gathering, I’m privileged to have an enormous natural political following in our state, together with the over 240,000 Deltans who voted for me within the 2023 normal elections.
“I’ve little question that our Governor, because the social gathering’s chief within the State, will take the initiative to make sure the inclusivity of my a whole lot of 1000’s of devoted, diehard grassroots supporters within the social gathering who made this attainable and stay able to mobilise for APC. This can undoubtedly assist our social gathering safe resounding victories in future elections at each state and federal ranges.
“My philosophy in public governance is easy: service to the individuals comes first. I’ll work with everybody, by God’s grace, to raise up Delta State. My help for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is agency and enduring.
“And to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, be assured that with my dedication to a legacy of qualitative governance, I’m able to collaborate with you to strengthen our social gathering and ship on its guarantees to our individuals, making Delta State a greater place for all.”
Oborevwori on the assembly, famous that management derives its legitimacy from the individuals, including it have to be guided by humility, empathy and repair.
He pressured the necessity for stakeholders to put collective curiosity above private issues, resist division and keep away from pointless conflicts, noting that unity stays the social gathering’s best energy.
The governor stated conferences of the character present alternatives to overview progress, strengthen constructions and put together for important political milestones, including that mobilisation, registration and participation would in the end decide electoral outcomes.
He additionally emphasised the necessity for them to ship large votes for President Bola Tinubu and all different elective positions within the 2027 elections.
Why reconciliation?
Though the circumstances that led to Omo-Agege attending the assembly and resolving to work with the governor weren’t instantly clear, a supply stated it needed to do with a reconciliation that befell on the nationwide management of the social gathering.
He nonetheless famous that the place the true image of the social gathering would turn into clearer could be the place the steadiness of energy would tilt to after the social gathering’s congress.
A political observer, nonetheless attributed it to the political masterstroke of Oborevwori who because the chief of the social gathering within the State needed to make sure unity and get all leaders of the social gathering to work collectively forward of the 2027 polls.
“The Governor Oborevwwori has finished effectively. Within the APC structure, the governor is the chief and if you’re the chief, it’s a must to carry everyone alongside. Even the daddy of the prodigal son accepted the son when the son got here again” he stated.
He nonetheless, stated the opportunity of some horse buying and selling going down couldn’t be dominated out, noting that “you’ll nonetheless not rule out the opportunity of some individuals who will probably be aggrieved as a result of, within the negotiation desk, some pursuits will probably be established whereas some pursuits will probably be thrown into the dustbin.
“As issues start to unfold within the coming weeks and months, these whose pursuits aren’t carried on the negotiation desk will drift and search for a spot the place they are often accommodated.”
With the social gathering’s stakeholders closing ranks and resolving to work collectively in unison, it stays to be seen if the important thing gamers within the disaster that rocked the social gathering earlier than the defection would be capable to exorcise the ghost of their battle.
Once more, with the APC over bloated with all political gladiators within the State, the governor’s means to handle and accommodate the varied pursuits could be essential to the sustained unity of the social gathering within the construct as much as the 2027 normal elections.
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