Former House of Representatives member, Chief Hailms Agoda, has launched a scathing critique against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege's political aspirations, declaring his 2027 governorship ambition "dead and buried."
In a fiery interview with the Nation, Agoda, a key figure in the Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC), called on Omo-Agege to accept that the party has moved on with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as its "sole candidate for 2027."
Agoda dismissed any claim of Omo-Agege’s continued relevance, labelling his fresh push to contest as "the recycling of a failed project that is dead on arrival." He argued that Omo-Agege is living in "self-denial" by clinging to an ambition that Deltans "already rejected in 2023," and that he should not see the governorship "as his birthright."
Accusing Omo-Agege of prioritising his ego over the party's unity, Agoda stated that his refusal to back the sitting governor is "like setting fire to your own house because you don’t like the curtains." The former lawmaker asserted that Omo-Agege is "telling the party that his ego matters more than our collective survival" and is doing a "wonderful job of trying to tear it apart."
Aiming at Omo-Agege's claims of grassroots appeal, Agoda questioned, "If Omo-Agege truly had grassroots appeal, why did Deltans reject him so clearly in 2023, even when he was the sitting Deputy Senate President with so-called 'federal might'?" He compared the claim to a "trader who goes bankrupt claiming to be the wealthiest man in the market," and insisted that "real grassroots support is organic."
Agoda also touched on the matter of leadership, stating that it has been "already settled" with the Vice President of Nigeria declaring Governor Oborevwori as the leader of the APC in Delta. Furthermore, he highlighted weighty allegations of campaign fund mismanagement from 2023 and how those resources "were used in ways that undermined fellow candidates." He concluded by noting that Omo-Agege’s silence on these allegations is "not golden."
According to Agoda, “Omo-Agege is living in self-denial. His time has passed. Delta APC has moved on, but he is stuck in yesterday’s shadows, clutching at an ambition that Deltans already rejected in 2023. His fresh push to contest the 2027 governorship election is not the rebirth of a political vision. It is the recycling of a failed project that is dead on arrival.
“Instead of rallying behind our sitting governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who is now the leader of APC, he wants to contest against him. That’s like setting fire to your own house because you don’t like the curtains. It is a voyage to nowhere.
“Omo-Agege had his moment in the Senate. But he already had his shot at the governorship in 2023. Politics is not about recycling ambition like a broken record. If you are rejected once, you don’t force yourself down people’s throats. Delta is not anybody’s inheritance, and he should not see the office of the governor as his birthright.
“The recent endorsement of Governor Oborevwori and President Tinubu was a show of unity of the Party in Delta Central, where every leader of the party, old and new-came together in a show of unity and strength. For Omo-Agege to come out and still say he will run is regrettably unfortunate. He is telling the party that his ego matters more than our collective survival. For someone who claims to love APC, he’s doing a wonderful job of trying to tear it apart. But I am very confident that he will not succeed.
“I laugh when I hear some people say he has grassroots appeal. Please, let’s call things by their proper names. If Omo-Agege truly had grassroots appeal, why did Deltans reject him so clearly in 2023, even when he was the sitting Deputy Senate President with so-called “federal might”? Why did he lose to Oborevwori despite boasting of all his so-called “structures”? You cannot fail that spectacularly and still claim to be the darling of the grassroots. That’s like a trader who goes bankrupt claiming to be the wealthiest man in the market. Very laughable. His supporters should wake up from their daydreaming. Real grassroots support is organic; it comes from trust, integrity, and sacrifice for the people. The real grassroots now belong to Oborevwori -he is the sitting governor, embraced by every senatorial district and constituency, including my own Ethiope Federal Constituency.
“My message is very clear: APC now controls Delta through Gov. Oborevwori. We must consolidate, not tear ourselves apart. Omo-Agege should have the decency to realise by now that his 2027 ambition is dead and buried. He can shout, he can posture, and his supporters can spin, but Delta APC has moved on with Gov Sheriff Oborevwori as our sole candidate for 2027, and he should do the same.”
