- Omo-Agege receives Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu into Delta APC Tuesday
The leadership tussle between the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, may be far from over, findings by The Point have revealed.
Omo-Agege was the Delta State 2023 All Progressives Congress governorship candidate.
Sources told The Point at the weekend that Omo-Agege is set to receive Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu into Delta APC Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu is the member of the House of Representatives who represents Ethiope federal constituency of Delta State.
According to reliable sources, the ceremony is scheduled to take place at Oghara, a town located in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Oghara is the home town of a former Delta State Governor, James Ibori.
However, it was gathered that Keyamo would not participate at the event “because he does not have a role to play.”
“Stakeholders said Omo-Agege as the immediate past gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2023 election should still be given chance to manage the party while another faction of the stakeholders said the constitution gives the leadership of the party to the highest political appointee from the state”
Keyamo did not pick his calls and did not respond to Short Message Service sent to him on Sunday by The Point
On Thursday, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu was forced to defect from the People’s Democratic Party to the APC because of her exclusion by the Delta State chapter of the PDP.
Ibori-Suenu, daughter of James Ibori, announced her defection from the PDP to the APC in a letter addressed to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
She was among the five members of the Green Chambers that dumped their former political organisations for the ruling party on Thursday.
The other four lawmakers were formerly with the Labour Party. They are Tochukwu Okere, Imo State; Donates Mathew, Kaduna State; Bassey Akiba, Cross River State; and Iyawu Esosa, Edo State.
In a letter dated Thursday, December 5, Ibori-Suenu addressed the PDP Chairman of the Ethiope West Council area, and explained that her resignation was due to her exclusion by the Delta State chapter of the party.
The letter, titled ‘Notice of Resignation of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as Member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),’ read, “Please be informed that by this notice I formally resign as a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect. I surrender my attached People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Membership Card, with membership number 0777144, in furtherance of my complete dissociation and disengagement from the People’s Democratic Party.”
Following the announcement of the defection on t he floor, Ali Isa, minority whip, protested and called for the declaration of the seat vacant.
However, the call was ignored by the speaker.
Ibori-Suenu won the 2023 election on the platform of the PDP.
Her father, James Ibori, who is widely held as a top notch in Delta and South-South politics, at a time, had political differences with immediate past governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa, largely seen as his erstwhile protégé.
James Ibori, a close ally of President Bola Tinubu, had a fall out with Okowa over the choice of candidate for the governorship polls in 2023.
Believed to be the strongman of Delta politics, the former governor supported David Edebvie for the ticket, but was defeated by Okowa, who was able to navigate Sheriff Oborevwori through the party primary.
James Ibori visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in the early days of the latter’s administration last year. They are both members of the 1999/2007 class of governors.
“The prospects of Ibori leading the charge this time also have its challenges. While Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the nominal leader of the party has welcomed the defection of Ibori-Suenu, it is open to debate whether he will surrender his status as leader to her father”
Omo-Agege excited with bolstering of Delta APC
Consequently, Omo-Agege described joining the APC by Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as “a powerful endorsement of our party’s unwavering commitment to progress, development, and transformation in Delta State.”
Welcoming her decision in a press statement he personally signed, the Delta APC leader said the party “remains unshakably committed to providing a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and work towards a common goal of building a better future for our people.”
Omo-Agege described Ibori-Suenu, daughter of the former governor of Delta State as “not just a valuable addition to our party; she is also a long-time ally and friend. We have collaborated on various projects and initiatives, and I can attest to her exceptional leadership skills, unwavering dedication, and unshakeable commitment to the welfare of our people.”
The statement reads: “I am thrilled to welcome Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the Honourable Member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Her joining the APC is a monumental boost to our party’s surging strength and influence in Delta State.
“Ibori-Suenu is not just a valuable addition to our party; she is also a long-time ally and friend. We have collaborated on various projects and initiatives, and I can attest to her exceptional leadership skills, unwavering dedication, and unshakeable commitment to the welfare of our people.
“As the leader of Delta State APC, I’ve always been driven to build a strong, inclusive party that represents the best interests of our people. Ibori-Suenu is a seasoned leader with a wealth of experience and expertise that will undoubtedly propel our party’s growth and success.
“Her decision to join us is a powerful endorsement of our party’s unwavering commitment to progress, development, and transformation in Delta State. I’m excited to work with Ibori-Suenu to build an unstoppable APC in Delta State.
“Our party remains unshakably committed to providing a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and work towards a common goal of building a better future for our people.
“Once again, I welcome Ibori-Suenu to the APC and assure her of our unflinching support and cooperation as we work together to build a new Delta State.
Delta APC divided between Keyamo, Omo-Agege, others
The struggle for who is the leader of APC in Delta State has been dividing the party at the state level.
The two of them were said to have their eyes on the Delta State governorship seat in 2027.
While some party leaders recognise the immediate past deputy Senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege as leader, others resolved that the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, should assume the role.
Stakeholders said Omo-Agege as the immediate past gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2023 election should still be given a chance to manage the party while another faction of the stakeholders said the constitution gives the leadership of the party to the highest political appointee from the state.
Recently, lawmakers in the Delta State House of Assembly on the platform of APC paid a courtesy call on Keyamo.
The House of Assembly members in attendance included Benson Obire, Ebitonmo Alapala, Achoja Blessing, Matthew Omonade, Spencer Ohwofa and Collins Egbetamah.
The delegation led by Stella Okotete, Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, was received at the Minister’s office in Abuja.
Speaking, Okotete stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the growth and development of the party, particularly at the state level.
Before then, a political pressure group, Delta Youths In Politics, had called on Keyamo, as a matter of urgency, to assume the leadership position of the party in the state.
Also, a Reconciliation Committee, chaired by Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, recently made significant strides in its mission to unify party leaders and stakeholders in the state.
The committee engaged prominent party figures in Abuja to foster unity and secure their support for revitalizing the APC ahead of future elections.
According to Valentine Onojeghuo, Secretary of the Media Sub-Committee, the Reconciliation Committee met with Omo-Agege, in addition to Keyamo, Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly; and Stella Okotete.
Describing the discussions with Senator Omo-Agege as “highly productive,” Onojeghuo noted that the senator, along with his team, voiced strong support for the committee’s objectives.
“The Reconciliation Team had a very engaging and productive meeting with Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege. Critical issues surrounding party unity were discussed, and we received full endorsement from him and his team to align with the committee’s reconciliation goals,” Onojeghuo said.
In a separate meeting, Keyamo shared “detailed and heartfelt perspectives” on the current state of the APC in Delta, emphasizing the importance of uniting party structures to replicate the recent APC success in the Edo State governorship election.
Onojeghuo highlighted the productive exchange, noting Keyamo’s commitment to a unified APC in Delta.
The reconciliation team also met with Victor Ochei at his Abuja residence, where they discussed strategies for achieving party unity.
Ochei expressed his willingness to collaborate with other party leaders to ensure a cohesive party structure and strengthen the APC’s chances in forthcoming elections.
The committee further engaged with Stella Okotete, who shared candid views on issues of concern and her recommendations for moving the party forward in Delta State.
Onojeghuo commended Okotete for her transparent approach, which he said underscored her dedication to the APC’s progress in Delta.
The committee’s leadership team in these engagements included notable figures such as Elder Godsday Orubebe, Senator Ede Dafinone, Chief Evans Omatsoguwa, Hon. Doris Uboh, Chief Judith Enamuotor, and Chief Johnson Opone.
The Delta APC Reconciliation Committee was constituted following divisions within the party after the 2023 general elections.
Aiming to restore unity, the committee has been actively engaging grassroots members and top leaders across the state to address grievances and chart a collaborative path forward.
However, sources claimed that Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu defection underlines the political subtleties in her native Delta State that have polarised forces between her father, James Ibori and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
They said the defection of Ibori-Suenu indicates for all that the war between the Okowa and Ibori tendencies in Delta is now beyond settlement.
“It is especially ironic that the lady at the centre of the storm, Ibori-Suenu, was about ten years ago, a legislative aide of Okowa when the former governor served as senator.
“Following the friction between her father and Okowa over the Delta State governorship election in 2023, Ibori chose to work against the emergence of Sheriff Oborevwori. He failed in that pursuit. He has now grabbed the position of overlord of the APC in Delta State, making nominations here and there from the state mostly on account of his relationship with President Bola Tinubu.
“The days ahead promise to be very interesting in Delta State with more disgruntled political actors in the PDP expected to defect to the APC. Among those expected to shift camp is Senator Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta North who is already in open combat with the Oborevwori/Okowa mainstream.
“His imminent defection will mean that all three Senate seats in Delta will be in the hands of the APC. However, PDP chiefs in Delta are optimistic that the emergence of Ibori as the leader of the APC in Delta will not erode the strength of the party in the state,” sources said.
They explained that over the years, the PDP has been challenged with eruptions now and then, but has weathered the storm along the way.
“The prospects of Ibori leading the charge this time also have its challenges. While Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the nominal leader of the party has welcomed the defection of Ibori-Suenu, it is open to debate whether he will surrender his status as leader to her father.
“That is against the background of the questions raised over his role in the 2023 presidential election. The question of who becomes the candidate of the APC is another issue that the APC will contend with. Will Omo-Agege surrender to the whims of Ibori? There is also the question of Festus Keyamo whose historical political antipathy to the Ibori clan has not been settled.
“Whatever, associates of Governor Oborevwori are confident that if he continues on his present trajectory he and the PDP will prevail against the APC in 2027,” a party leader in the state said.