Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
•Ex-Deputy Senate President insists he’s party lead
•Delta gov my leader—Keyamo
•Shettima, Ganduje, 10 govs receive Oborevwori, Okowa today
GOVERNOR Sheriff Oborevwori and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, may be heading for a showdown over the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State as the governor today officially decamps.
Recall that the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, including the 25 local government areas and wards, collapsed their structures into the APC last week.
As the governor is officially welcomed to the APC fold, the former Deputy Senate President is, however, adamant that he remains the leader of the party.
Oborevwori, his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and other stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, last Wednesday, announced their resolve to dump the PDP for APC.
Supremacy battle for Delta APC
While the constitution of the APC is silent on whom the leader of the party is, the governors always took charge of the party affairs due to state resources at their disposal and the influence they wield.
Also, the state governors are regarded as the de facto leaders of the party.
Though Omo-Agege, in collaboration with Mr Festus Keyamo, has been managing the affairs of the party in Delta State, the former Senate President is still insisting that he remained the leader of the party.
A party leader, who clarified the position of the leader in the state, said: “The constitution of the APC is silent on the leader of the party in the state. Currently, Omo-Agege is not holding any political office; he is just saying he remains the leader of the party in Delta State because he has been holding the party together with Festus Keyamo in the state.
‘’We all know that the governors are the defacto leaders of the party. They usually dictate the terms.”
Keyamo affirms Oborevwori as leader.
Earlier, while reacting to Oborevwori’s defection, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, declared the governor as his leader, just as he commended President Bola Tinubu for his leadership.
Keyamo in a post on X wrote: “Finally, Delta is APC. Thank you, Mr President, for your leadership that has attracted the best to our party. Thank you, my leader and Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for your foresight and courage in taking this bold decision.”
Omo-Agege welcomes Oborevwori, others, maintains party leadership
But while welcoming the Delta State governor to the APC, the Deputy President, yesterday, maintained his status as the leader of the Delta APC.
Omo-Agege, in a statement, said: “The leadership of Delta State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, warmly welcome Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and all leaders and members of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, into the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“This historic move underscores the success of President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda in driving growth and development in our country.
“In line with outcomes of deliberations with the national leadership of our party, the Progressive Governors Forum, and Delta APC stakeholders, I wish to assure all stakeholders that any issue arising from this development is being carefully considered and managed with prudence and foresight, in the best interests of our party and our beloved state.
“Let us embrace this development with unity, understanding, and a shared commitment to the progress of Delta State and Nigeria.
“In this renewed spirit of brotherhood in Delta APC, I urge all LGA and ward chairmen, their executives, party members, and our teeming supporters to turn out en-masse for the welcome reception of our new members into the APC on April 28, 2025, in Asaba.
“This development reaffirms our commitment to progressive governance, promising a brighter future for our people and a more prosperous, secure, and united Nigeria.
“Together, we will work tirelessly to achieve greatness for Delta State and Nigeria. I also take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his political sagacity and visionary leadership, as well as to the national chairman and the entire National Working Committee of the APC for their unwavering support and tireless efforts.”
No stumbling block for Oborevwori, says Tinubu
In a move seen as perhaps stamping the leadership of the party in the state, President Tinubu and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, have directed that there should be no stumbling block to the official declaration by Governor Oborevwori, his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and other PDP leaders for the APC in Asaba today.
As of yesterday, the governor was making last-minute preparations for today’s declaration, and appraising reports from the various leaders regarding the defections of PDP leaders in the different local government areas of the state.
An APC leader in the state told Vanguard: “President Tinubu who knows the intricate details of how he made Oborevwori jump ship and crumble the PDP in Delta State told the national chairman, Dr Ganduje, to lead the party to warmly welcome the Delta governor and decamping PDP members on Monday (today).
“The national chairman, Ganduje, attended a meeting chaired by the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, at the weekend in Abuja, where he (Uzodimma) made it clear that the purpose of the meeting was to inform Delta APC leaders that Governor Oborevwori and the entire PDP structure in their state have defected to the APC.
“Governor Uzodimma stressed the need for unity and asked all the leaders to cordially welcome Governor Oborevwori to the party, a position Ganduje re-emphasised.”
On his part, the founding leader of the APC in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, welcomed Governor Oborevwori to the APC, describing his defection as a momentous event that has changed the political landscape in the state.
Emerhor said: “I write to formally welcome you, the leadership of Delta PDP, and the multitude of PDP members and supporters in Delta, as you formally lead them to join the APC progressive family. Today, your bold and pragmatic move has made that vision a reality. “It is my unique honour and privilege to personally welcome you to Delta APC.”
Djebah welcomes Oborevwori to APC
Similarly, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Thailand, Ambassador Oma Djebah, welcomed Oborevwori and the PDP political structure into the APC.
Ambassador Djebah, in a statement, said Delta State was now fully in alignment with the bold, courageous and impactful progressive policies and programmes of the APC.
He said: “We all welcome our governor to the APC family in Delta State.”
“I believe the future beckons with successes and accomplishments as the APC family grows from strength to strength in Delta State. Governor Oborevwori’s entry into the APC family will help enhance the fortunes of the APC in Delta State and contribute to the natural development of Delta State in all its ramifications. I salute his courage.
“I commend the governor’s bold foresight in joining the APC. This move will not only endear him to the family of progressives but also open up Delta State to a flurry of opportunities that a productive alignment which the centre confers for the overall development of our state and the improvement of the living conditions of our people.”
Shettima, Ganduje, others welcome decampees
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Chairman of the APC and other notable leaders of the party will today receive Governor Oborevwori, his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and others into the party.
They would be received at a rally billed to be held at the Cenotaph, Asaba, the state capital.
The APC in the state, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, said Governor Uzodimma would lead other APC governors to grace the event. Onojeghuo said: “This momentous occasion has created a massive political earthquake that has transformed the landscape of the entire Delta State.”
Also, ahead of today’s official defections, 10 governors, elected on the platform of the APC, yesterday, arrived in Asaba for the event.
Among other governors said to have arrived include Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Bassey Otu (Cross Rivers), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Ahmed Ododo (Kogi), Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Dikko Radda (Kastina) and Mohammed Yahaya (Gombe).
