By Ughere Daniel,
For those who distort the facts regarding the history of the APC and its key figures, it's essential to clarify the timeline and significant events that shaped the party. The late Senator Pius Ewherido passed away on June 30, 2013. Shortly thereafter, on July 31, 2013, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was officially registered as a political party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This timeline indicates that the APC was established about a month after Senator Ewherido's death.
Before his passing, Senator Pius Ewherido was leading a faction of the DPP in discussions aimed at merging with other parties to form the APC. However, his untimely death meant that he could not finalise these merger talks or any formal arrangements. At the time of his death, the APC did not yet exist; instead, there were only ongoing meetings amongst the legacy parties discussing potential mergers.
Following Senator Ewherido's death, Olorogun Otega Emerhor stepped up to take on a leadership role in the formation of the APC. He played a critical part in coordinating the party’s registration process and providing the necessary funding to support its establishment in the state. Alongside Emerhor, notable leaders such as Pa Enuha, the late Senator Okpozo, Akhamukali, late Frank Kokori and others contributed significantly to nurturing the party. Together, they established both the interim executives and the first official executives of the state party.
Emerhor provided leadership, the funds in ensuring the party's formidable presence in the 270 wards in the state despite the very nefarious toga worn by anyone associating with the party as at then.
While Emerhor was diligently investing his own resources into building the APC, Ovie Omo-Agege was still active in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). After his unsuccessful attempts to secure the PDP gubernatorial nomination, he defected to the Labour Party. Riding on the coattails of Chief Great Ogboru's popularity, Omo-Agege successfully won a Senate seat.
In 2017, after the APC secured victory in the presidential elections, Olorogun Otega Emerhor took decisive action to further strengthen the party. He invited both Chief Great Ogboru and Chief Ovie Omo-Agege to meet with the then national chairman of the APC in Abuja. A welcome ceremony was subsequently organised in Ughelli to formally welcome them into the party. At this point, the APC had established itself as the ruling party in Nigeria, and Emerhor saw this as an opportunity to strengthen its position in the state.
Emerhor acted with magnanimity, welcoming those he considered brothers to unite their efforts in an attempt to displace the long-standing dominance of the PDP in the state. Unfortunately, he was unaware that he was inviting considerable internal strife, akin to bringing "ant-infested firewood" into his home.
Fast forward to 2018: through a controversial and questionable consent judgment that was acknowledged by Senator Adams Oshiomole, who was the national chairman at the time, Ovie Omo-Agege managed to seize control of the party's structure. The following year, he manipulated situations to convince Chief Great Ogboru to run for gubernatorial in the upcoming elections even after knowing it negated the zoning arrangement in the state. This election season was marked by significant internal discord within the APC, with primary election venues turning into chaotic battlegrounds.
The fallout from the 2019 elections was disheartening for the APC; despite the capability of its members, the party underperformed, largely due to the sidelining of various key leaders and stakeholders. The internal fractures prevented the party from capitalizing on its strengths, resulting in a diminished presence in the political landscape.
After rising to the position of Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege began to exert an authoritarian style of leadership within the party, often acting as if he were a sovereign ruler. He issued threats to retire anyone who dared to question his decisions, effectively silencing dissent.
In an effort to promote peace and restore unity within the party, Emerhor again attempted reconciliation with Omo-Agege. He called for a unity meeting aimed at fostering collaboration and cooperation ahead of the crucial 2023 elections. Emerhor sought to diffuse tensions and persuade Omo-Agege to compromise on certain issues for the greater good of the party, but Omo-Agege remained obstinate, rejecting opportunities for collaboration.
Omo-Agege appointed many of his official aides as state Executives, tightening his grip on the party's structure. He instructed his hatchet men across the 25 local government Area to prohibit supporters of any other political leader within the party from holding any party positions. The environment became so oppressive that even a sitting minister, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, found it impossible to secure the least position (ex-officio) within his ward executive committee. Omo-Agege’s oppressive tactics fostered an atmosphere of hate and discontent.
Compounding these issues, Omo-Agege was then awarded a significant portion of a surveillance contract, which he subsequently allocated to his younger brother, Jimmy. This contract was part of a federal government initiative aimed at providing support for youths in the party and other Niger Delta youths to promote peace and security in the region ahead of the 2023 elections. However, the execution of this contract was marked by corruption, as the majority of the funds were misappropriated, with only small amounts given to a select number of individuals who received minimal monthly salaries of 60,000 naira.
Omo-Agege's expectations of triumphing in the gubernatorial elections amid such glaring misconduct and blatant disregard for party unity bordered on the absurd. From the outset of his campaign, it became evident that he was destined for failure, despite the considerable financial backing allocated for his run. His inability to navigate internal party dynamics and cultivate genuine collaboration ultimately led to a lacklustre political endeavour, underscoring the significance of unity and leadership in any successful political campaign.
In the aftermath of the disappointing performance in the 2023 elections, party leaders convened a stakeholders meeting aimed at fostering unity within the party. Ovie Omo-Agege, who previously boasted of being the highest political office holder in the state prior to the elections, found himself grappling with a new reality. Following his election loss, he was no longer the Deputy Senate President (DSP); the title of the highest political office holder had shifted to the Minister, according to his definition of party leadership.
Feeling the sting of diminished authority, Omo-Agege resisted every attempt to mend the fractures within the party. His refusal to cooperate culminated in him submitting a minority report, an unusual move that directly opposed a consensus report drafted by the majority of the party's leaders, including the Director General of his own election campaign. This act of defiance not only undermined the unity efforts but also highlighted internal divisions.
Meanwhile, Don Omeni Sobotie, who served as the state chairman at that time and the entire party’s state structure, has expressed a desire for new leadership, indicating that Ovie Omo-Agege's leadership was no longer tenable.
In a significant turn of events, the Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency, Rt Hon Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, made a bold move by integrating the entire structure of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) into the Delta chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite these drastic changes and the clear expectations for a shift in leadership dynamics, Omo-Agege continued to posture as the party leader, seemingly unphased by the shifting political landscape. He appeared determined to regain his status and influence, even suggesting that he intended to take on a leadership role alongside the state governor. This continued grandstanding indicated his refusal to accept the new political realities established by the recent developments within the party and the state.
Even without participating in the nationwide Congress, and consulting any known leaders within the state, he insisted on contesting the just concluded Delta Central Senatorial primary elections of the APC, but was defeated silly by Senator Ede Dafinone.
His assertion of being the primary figure of opposition within the state is set to face a significant challenge in the upcoming 2027 elections. Thank God he has recently aligned himself with a new political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This shift has sparked a wave of curiosity among the people of Delta State, who want to see how he can rally the 240,000 organic supporters he boasts about. A support base to which I galvanised and contributed over 1,000 individuals. Now, none of us is leaving with him. We are staying back.
This should prompt this question: Can anyone name any prominent APC leaders who have joined him on this seemingly fruitless political journey? Most of them, disillusioned, have also moved on, holding back their loyal followers with them.
The question remains: Will his inflated sense of self-worth withstand the scrutiny of the voters in 2027? Only time will tell, but his grandstanding will soon meet the reality of the electoral process.
Misiagware!
I am Ughere Daniel,
A concerned party stalwart and a foundation member of the APC from Patani LGA
June 04, 2026
