Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a move that sets the stage for a high‑stakes political battle for the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections. The former lawmaker, who served as Deputy President of the 9th Senate, made the announcement in a personal statement on Thursday, May 28, 2026, six days after submitting a resignation letter to his APC ward chairman. Omo-Agege had earlier lost the APC Delta Central senatorial primary to the incumbent, Ede Dafinone, a development that prompted his resignation. In his resignation letter dated May 22, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of APC Orogun Ward 2 in Ughelli North Local Government Area, he wrote: "I hereby resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress, effective immediately. After reviewing recent developments in the party in Delta State and consulting with my associates and supporters, it is clear my political objectives and those of my constituents are better served outside the APC."
In his defection statement, Omo-Agege declared his intention to contest the Delta Central Senatorial District seat on the platform of the NDC in the 2027 general elections. He described his decision as the product of weeks of reflection, wide consultations, and honest conversations with the people he serves. He said he engaged with political associates nationwide, supporters, and stakeholders who are the backbone of their communities. Across all these engagements, he argued, one truth stood out: Deltans want leadership that listens first, acts with integrity, and delivers results that can be seen and felt in daily life. He expressed gratitude to the leadership of the NDC for reaching out and engaging him in the process, singling out Senator Seriake Dickson (founder and leader of the party), Senator Moses Cleopas (national chairman), Peter Obi (presidential aspirant), and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and NDC chieftain). Their commitment to building a credible, people‑first alternative, he said, gave him confidence that the NDC is the right platform for Delta State and Nigeria.
Omo-Agege praised the NDC as a party built on the principles of inclusion, accountability, grassroots participation, and true federalism, contrasting it with what he described as closed‑door decision‑making in other political platforms. He insisted that the NDC offers the clearest path to advance the interests of Delta Central, Delta State, and Nigeria. He also addressed supporters directly: "Let me be clear: this is not about me. This is about the mandate you entrusted to me in 2019 and the renewed call from our people for my return to the Senate to provide effective representation. That call is loud, consistent, alive, and urgent. I cannot ignore it, and I will not betray the trust you have placed in me."
The former deputy Senate president did not hold back in his critique of the governance situation in Delta State. He noted that Delta State holds a position of immense responsibility as one of the largest producers of oil and gas, yet the reality on the ground does not match this potential. He pointed to collapsed roads, primary health centres lacking drugs and equipment, overcrowded schools, and rampant youth unemployment, despite hundreds of billions of naira in annual federal allocations. "Right now, too much of Delta's wealth sits in CBN accounts while our people suffer from bad roads, collapsed hospitals, and abandoned communities. This is not governance. It is a failure of leadership and a betrayal of public trust," he said. He pledged to fight for Delta Central, promising to attract federal projects, ensure accountability in the use of public funds, support small businesses, improve agriculture, and expand access to healthcare and education. "I will not go to Abuja to warm the bench. I am going to fight for Delta Central," he declared.
The NDC has moved swiftly to accommodate its new heavyweight recruit. On Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, announced that the National Working Committee had approved a waiver for Omo-Agege to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat under the party’s platform in the 2027 general elections. In a separate but related development, the party also granted a similar waiver to former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, to contest the Delta North Senatorial District seat. The party stated that the decision followed the formal defection of both leaders from the APC to the NDC, and that the waivers were granted in recognition of their political experience, leadership capacity, and commitment to democratic ideals.
The defection of Omo-Agege is the latest in a wave of high‑profile exits from the APC in Delta State following the party’s recently concluded primaries. His new alignment with the NDC places him squarely in the emerging opposition coalition that is expected to field Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso for the 2027 presidential election. Omo-Agege, who previously served as a governorship candidate in Delta State, now positions himself as a central figure in what could become a three‑cornered race for the Delta Central senatorial district, pitting the APC’s Ede Dafinone, the PDP’s candidate, and the NDC’s Omo‑Agege against each other. As the former deputy Senate president declared: "A divided Delta is a weakened Delta. When we speak with one voice, Abuja listens."
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