The immediate past Deputy President of the 9th Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is in a dilemma over whether to remain with All Progressive Congress (APC) or rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following his seemingly shaky influence in the APC.
While leaders in PDP are calling him to come back to the PDP, get the ticket on a platter of gold and pursue his governorship ambition in 2027, APC has been threatening him with sanction over his claim as the leader of the party in Delta State.
Delta APC, in a statement dated April 30, 2025, and signed by the publicity secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, said with the entry of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori into APC, he has assumed the position of the party leader in the state.
The statement titled, “Delta APC Reaffirms The Position of His Excellency Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori As Leader Of APC in the State” said the position is not subject to debate or contention.
Delta APC said it is strange, arrogant and reprehensible for any individual to continue to arrogate or to parade himself as the leader of the party in the state in clear opposition to the present reality of the governor as leader of the party.
“Let it be known that such divisive tendencies will be firmly resisted, and anyone who seeks to undermine this position by continuing to parade himself as such will face severe sanctions from the Party” it warned.
But the former commissioner for Higher Education and Agriculture in Delta State, Prof Patrick Muoboghere, has told Omo-Agege to return to PDP and pursue his governorship ambition in 2027.
Muoboghere made the invitation while reacting to the mass defection from the PDP to the APC in Delta, stating that like a lion, Omo-Agege has been caged in his own den.
“He should not allow himself to be humiliated and pushed around in the APC, where his leadership is being undermined. The PDP is ready to welcome him back with open arms and support his governorship ambition and ensure he succeeds in his political endeavors.”
The PDP chieftain said the statements of the Vice President Shettima where he said, “Omo-Agege is my friend, work with him” is an insult to the senator whom he said had earlier released a press statement a day before Monday, welcoming Oborevwori to the party as a leader in the party but within 24 hours, he was told that he should queue behind the governor and work with him.
He described the scenario as an insult, degrading and demeaning to Omo-Agege, the 2023 Delta state APC Governorship candidate to have addressed himself as the leader of the party and his followers.
“Senator Omo-Agege made a statement on Sunday welcoming the Governor to the party in his capacity as a leader of the party in the state, but within 24 hours, he was stripped of his title and compelled to work with the Governor.
“The Governor is the leader of the party and Omo-Agege who has built the party and has been working hard to gather followers has just been stripped of his leadership and he is being chased away from the party. In any political party, after the governor, every other person is immaterial because everybody must follow the governor, and in this case, once the governor indicates interest to contest the election, there will be no primary election and the party will give him the ticket.”
Muoboghere reassured Omo-Agege and other potential returnees that the PDP is the right platform for them to achieve their political goals and aspirations if they so wish.
He also urged others that defected to the APC to reconsider their decision and come back to the PDP, where they will be valued and respected, noting that the PDP is committed to promoting unity, inclusiveness, and fairness in its political activities as it has always been.
