New Delta Grassroot Movement Calls For Protest Over Governor’s Defection To APC, Raising Tensions And Threatening Party Unity
The political atmosphere in Asaba grew tense on April 23, 2025, following a major realignment that sent shockwaves across Delta State’s political landscape. In a closed-door meeting at the Government House, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, accompanied by former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and several loyalists from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), officially declared their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Though the APC’s national leadership celebrated the move as a strategic victory likely to bolster President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, it simultaneously ignited unrest within party ranks. In response, the New Delta Grassroot Movement issued a powerful call for protests, warning that the defection could fracture party unity and threaten the APC’s hard-won progress in Delta.
At the center of this unfolding drama stands Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the towering figure of Delta APC whose firm leadership, strategic foresight, and unshakable loyalty to the party’s ideals position him as the most formidable force for 2027 and beyond. This is a story of loyalty tested, betrayal exposed, and a leader determined to safeguard the very soul of his party.
Omo-Agege’s journey in the APC is a testament to relentless commitment and visionary leadership. When he embraced the APC, Delta was a near-impregnable PDP stronghold, and opposition voices were scarcely heard. Yet Omo-Agege, a lawyer from Orogun, envisioned victory where others foresaw defeat. Through strategic grassroots mobilization, he transformed the APC from a peripheral force into a formidable political powerhouse in Delta. In 2021, he successfully navigated a brutal internal power struggle, outmaneuvering heavyweights like Festus Keyamo and Great Ogboru to establish control over the party’s structure from the ward to state levels.
As Deputy Senate President from 2019 to 2023, Omo-Agege brought tangible federal projects to Delta, notably founding the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, and spearheading the "Light Up Urhoboland" electrification project that brightened several communities. Even his loss to Oborevwori in the 2023 gubernatorial election—by a narrow 18% margin—did little to diminish his standing. Under his leadership, APC captured two senatorial seats and two House of Representatives seats, underscoring his unmatched electoral strength and strategic acumen.
It was Omo-Agege’s dynamic leadership that made the APC an attractive haven for defectors. On April 12, 2025, he orchestrated the defection of the Delta Unity Group from PDP to APC, significantly fortifying the party’s grassroots base. Ironically, it was this revitalized APC that attracted Governor Oborevwori and former Governor Okowa.
However, stakeholders of the APC in Delta State have expressed strong concerns that the defection poses a grave risk to party cohesion and credibility. According to them, “Their baggage will sink us,” referring to the deep corruption and governance failures associated with the defectors. “We built this party from scratch while they looted Delta dry. We cannot reward treachery by handing over the house to its enemies,” one stakeholder said.
In a related development, Engr. Felix Akpoyibo, National Coordinator of the New Delta Grassroot Movement, stressed that the defectors’ entry into the APC was not driven by conviction but by desperation. “They are not coming to strengthen the APC. They are fleeing justice, not embracing our vision," Akpoyibo declared. He warned that any clandestine agreement to hand the APC 2027 gubernatorial ticket to Sheriff Oborevwori would be fiercely resisted by genuine party faithfuls.
Stakeholders further raised grave concerns about Oborevwori’s track record, describing it as riddled with glaring failures. They accused him of presiding over the House of Assembly that approved reckless loans under former Governor Okowa, loans which yielded no visible infrastructural improvements. They pointed to abandoned projects like the PTI/Orerokpe/Eku/Abraka Road and the Orerokpe Stadium as evidence of his ineffective leadership.
"Delta was reduced to a mere pawn in the hands of a few selfish politicians. Oborevwori was complicit," a prominent APC stakeholder said.
Stakeholders also recalled that Oborevwori’s administration allowed the illegal practice of "deve"—land extortion by thugs—to thrive unchecked, a practice that crippled small businesses and drove investors away. Furthermore, they noted his tainted reputation, having faced allegations of certificate forgery during the 2022 PDP primaries, an embarrassment that nearly cost him the governorship ticket.
On former Governor Okowa, stakeholders were even more damning. They pointed out his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion in Delta’s derivation funds. They described the sale of Delta Line for N160 million, despite a better N2 billion offer, as one of the most shameful betrayals of public trust.
Engr. Akpoyibo added that the people of Delta know better than to be deceived by political theatrics. "You cannot launder a bad product simply by changing its label. Okowa and Oborevwori failed Delta under the PDP and will fail APC if they are allowed to hijack it," he warned.
Within the APC, fresh tensions are simmering. Some leaders, operating under a self-styled "Delta College of Leaders," have welcomed the defectors, seeing personal political opportunities. Stakeholders, however, have likened their actions to the biblical story of King Solomon’s judgment in 1 Kings 3:16–28. In this account, two women came before King Solomon, each claiming to be the mother of a child. Solomon, in his wisdom, proposed to divide the living child into two and give half to each woman. The true mother, driven by compassion, pleaded for the child’s life to be spared and given to the other woman, thus revealing her genuine love. Solomon then awarded the child to her, recognizing her as the real mother. Stakeholders suggest that these leaders, like the false mother in the story, would rather see the party destroyed than relinquish their selfish ambitions.
Adding to the tension are rumors of a 60/40 power-sharing formula being negotiated to favor the defectors. “This is a clear betrayal of those who built the party with their sweat and blood,” another stakeholder lamented.
As preparations continue for a grand reception for Governor Oborevwori and his team on April 28, 2025—with Vice President Kashim Shettima expected to attend—the New Delta Grassroot Movement has vowed to proceed with its protest. Engr. Akpoyibo stated that the movement's protest will be peaceful but firm. "We must protect the soul of APC from those who destroyed Delta. No true progressive should stand idly by while the enemies of the people stage a comeback," he asserted.
In the midst of all this, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege remains the unshakable pillar of Delta APC—a leader whose loyalty, achievements, and strategic acumen continue to inspire confidence. As 2027 approaches, it is clear that the future of the APC in Delta State belongs not to political opportunists, but to those who labored selflessly to build it.
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