The race for the Delta Central senatorial ticket is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent memory, with the camps of Senator Ede Dafinone and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege now locked in a tense standoff. As the primaries approach, political observers suggest the outcome may not be decided easily.

In recent weeks, both camps have intensified their campaigns with the aspirants declaring their intentions to run, leaving no room for complacency. Dafinone, known for his grassroots appeal and philanthropic engagements in the area, has been rallying support among party stalwarts and community leaders. His supporters argue that his track record in public service and business leadership positions him as a candidate capable of uniting Delta Central.

The battleline for the ticket is drawn with Omo-Agege choosing to declare his intention to return to the Senate at his Orogun Kingdom without the support of the party and non-acknowledgement of the Governor who is the party leader in the State while making his speech. Dafinone on the other hand held his declaration at Ughelli Township with the full involvement of party leadership. It was also rumoured that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori gave orders for full participation of members.

There is no doubt that Senator Omo-Agege, the former Deputy Senate President, commands significant political influence and a loyal base within Delta state and Abuja. Analysts note that his experience in the Senate and strong national profile could give him a decisive edge, particularly among delegates with the All Progressive Party opting for delegate primaries instead of consensus considerations.

The emerging rivalry has heightened tensions within the party, with insiders suggesting that strategic alliances and last-minute negotiations could play a pivotal role in determining who eventually secures the ticket. Sources close to the Dafinone camp say they are confident of a strong showing, citing robust engagement with key grassroots networks and Governor Sheriff’s backing. Conversely, Omo-Agege’s camp is reportedly deploying a multi-pronged strategy to consolidate support among delegates, including targeted outreach and leveraging his national influence.

The Delta Central senatorial primary could be a litmus test for party cohesion ahead of the general elections. “This race is more than just about personalities; it’s about influence, strategy, and mobilization,” one analyst who requested anonymity noted.

Attacks and counter-attacks

The battle for the ticket took an interesting turn which made readers believe that there is an ongoing cold war between Governor Oborevwori and Sen. Omo-Agege. Shortly after Dafinone declared his intention to return to the Senate, Hon. Godwin Anaughe, Omo-Agege’s ally wrote; DAFINONE’S PANIC DECLARATION IS POISON FOR APC.

According to him, “Panic has taken over the political scene in Delta Central Senatorial District. After Senator Ovie Omo-Agege returned home to a vibrant, enthusiastic crowd that practically shut down Osubi, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori panicked. In a rush, he instructed Ughelli North Chairman Jaro Egbo to orchestrate a fake “declaration” for Senator Ede Dafinone on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

“This isn’t politics. It’s terrifying. And it’s bound to hurt the APC not only in Delta Central but across Delta State. Omo-Agege’s decision to run for the Senate was a significant move for the sake of party unity. He had the option to challenge Oborevwori for the governorship ticket, which could have led to a split in the APC. He could have easily walked away, revitalized the opposition, and aimed for the governorship himself, watching Oborevwori’s political dreams fall apart. But instead, he chose to step back”. On April 30, 2026, Omo-Agege issued a statement which he personally signed in which he berated the Governor’s reference to the past Governorship election.

Omo-Agege carpets Oborevwori

The former Deputy Senate President in reacting to a lecture given by Oborevwori in Lagos wrote “My attention has been drawn to comments reportedly made by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, during his lecture in Lagos on “Inclusive Governance and National Unity: Lessons from Delta State for a United Nigeria,” where he referenced the 2023 Delta State Governorship Election.

“If we were still in different political parties, I would feel compelled to respond in full measure, as an adversary would. But that is no longer the case. We are now one family under the All Progressives Congress (APC). What Delta APC needs today is not division, but unity. As a frontline leader in our party, my goal is clear: to secure victory for every APC candidate — from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu down to our House of Assembly candidates. That commitment remains sacrosanct.

“The 2023 Governorship Election has come and gone and is now behind us. The Supreme Court has spoken, and its decision is final. And I respect the judgment fully. Re-litigating the matter in the media or at public events serves no useful purpose. As a democrat, I congratulated Mr. Governor then for the now-famous 360,000 votes that won him the election in twenty one local government areas, and I do so again now. The past is in the rearview mirror. Our focus must now be on 2027. Let us look forward.

“I am however proud of the over 240,000 votes that gave us victory in four Delta Central LGAs. To every Deltan who supported me in 2023, and to everyone who believed in our vision: I am forever grateful. You have my assurance: I owe you, and indeed all our people, an even greater level of service.

“Since May 29, 2023, I have pursued one mission: strengthening the unity of our party. I will not relent. I respectfully urge the Governor of Delta State and Leader of the APC in Delta State, to join me in fostering healing, reconciliation, and inclusion. We must silence every voice and action that seeks to divide us.

“Only a united APC can deliver Delta State for President Tinubu and win every seat in 2027. I gave my word to our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my friend and brother, Vice-President Senator Kashim Shettima, that I would work with our Governor to unify the party and deliver victory in 2027. By God’s grace, I shall honour that solemn commitment.

“To my supporters: this is my direct message to you. Keep your heads high. Do not engage in negativity. Stand tall on our record of extraordinary accomplishments in the 8th and 9th Senate.

“As you canvass support for me and other leaders in our party, do so with civility, dignity and respect. Let our people know about our record of public service. Be proud to say I was instrumental in passing the law that gave permanent legal status to the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.

“Be proud to say I was instrumental in passing the law establishing the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, and in driving the construction of this modern tertiary institution.

“Be proud to say I facilitated the establishment of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale — an institution that has now taken off. Be proud to say I facilitated the establishment of the Oil and Gas Industrial Park in Delta State. Be proud to say I also facilitated the establishment and full construction of the Nigerian Defence Space School in our State.

“These are not claims. They are facts — part of our legacy of bold, transformative leadership. With another mandate from the great people of the Urhobo Nation and all of Delta Central in 2027, we shall do even more — with God on our side. Let us choose unity over division. Let us choose victory over vendetta. In Delta APC, unity must be more than talk. It must be our strength.” Omo-Agege stated.

Oborevwori’s aide reply

Ossai Ovie Success, SSA Media to Governor Oborevwori was the first to react to Omo-Agege’s statement where he faulted the former Deputy Senate President.

His words: “I saw the post made by DSP Omo-Agege : Let’s call it what it is: hypocrisy and I am highly disappointed. You are paying Fejiro Oliver monthly and others are sending them to insult, paint the Governor bad, abuse the Governor every single day.

“You disrespect the office of the Governor because to you, you have Abuja connections that will help you get the senate ticket. You refuse to recognize the APC Congress and the duly elected party executives.

“You are doing all negative things against the Governor daily through yourself and through proxy. Now that you want a Senate ticket, you are acting mature online saying the past should be the past. Once you get the ticket, you will now bring out your true colors again.

“You want everyone else in government to act mature and keep quiet but you’re free to denigrate and undermine the same government you are supposed to respect and be loyal to because you have federal connections.

“The truth is simple: You only want peace now and act mature through your post because you’re contesting for the Senate. Suddenly you’re posting calm, “mature” content online. Suddenly you’re preaching peace. Not because you’ve changed, but because you want to look presentable to the Vice President and to help you secure the Senate ticket in Delta State. You burn the bridge at dawn, then ask for a boat at dusk. This is 2026. Deltans are not naive. They see the people you’re paying to abuse the Governor.

“They see the disrespect. They see your refusal to acknowledge the party structure you now want to benefit from. And yet you call yourself “mature.” You can’t insult a man in the morning and beg him for a ticket in the evening through Abuja.

“You can’t tear down the house, then ask for the keys. Leadership is not acting mature for optics. Leadership is acting with integrity when no one is watching. I am disappointed. Not because you have ambition. Ambition is fine. But because you think Deltans won’t see through this act. “Until then, your “maturity” is just strategy. And Deltans have seen this script before. My name is Ossai Ovie Success and I am disappointed”, he added.

Oborevwori supporting Dafinone?

Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Director General, Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Governor’s Office Asaba in his article Delta Central Decides: The Politics of Consensus and the Rise of Senator Dafinone wrote; “History has a way of announcing itself, not in whispers, but in thunder. On April 26, 2026, at Oharisi Primary School, Ughelli, Delta Central did not merely host a political gathering; it witnessed a defining moment in its democratic evolution. What unfolded was not just a convergence of party faithfuls, but a resounding declaration of unity, strength, and collective resolve.

“Under the blazing sun and amid electrifying chants, political leaders, stakeholders and party supporters in Delta Central stood shoulder to shoulder, their voices rising in unison with a singular message: Senator Ede Dafinone is the 2027 people’s choice, the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for Delta Central Senatorial District.

“This was no ordinary endorsement. It was a rare political alignment, an unmistakable signal that the often complex and layered dynamics of Delta politics had, for once, found harmony. From the corridors of power to the grassroots, the message was consistent and emphatic.

“At the forefront stood the Chief Adviser to the Governor and respected leader of Ethiope Federal Constituency, Senator (Dr) Ighoyota Amori, whose voice carried the weight of experience and strategic foresight. Alongside him, the influential leader of Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency, Chief John Oguma, lent his formidable political capital to the cause.

“Completing this triad of unity was Hon. Solomon Ighrakpata, the rallying figure for Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency, whose endorsement further cemented the breadth of support.

“But beyond these towering figures was an even more compelling narrative: the total institutional embrace of Senator Dafinone’s candidacy. All eight local government chairmen, the full APC structure across Delta Central, members of the State House of Assembly, and councillors from every ward formed an unbroken chain of endorsement. This was not consensus by convenience; it was consensus by conviction.

“Also notable were goodwill messages delivered by key political leaders, including the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, who coordinated the consensus voice vote for Senator Ede Dafinone; Member of the National Assembly representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency, Rt Hon Francis Waive; Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Arthur Akpowowo; Founding Leader of APC in Delta State, Olorogun Otega Emerhor; the State Director of Protocol (SDOP), Chief Sunday Onoriode; Chief Bernard Edewor, among others.

Observers have described the moment as unprecedented. In a political landscape often marked by fragmentation and competing ambitions, Delta Central has charted a different course, one defined by unity of purpose and clarity of vision.

“Why Senator Dafinone? The answer echoed through the crowd that day, and importantly, it was backed by measurable outcomes. As he reminded the gathering, his approach to leadership has been rooted in discipline, accountability, and delivery. In just three years, his tenure has recorded tangible interventions: sustained advocacy for the revitalisation of the Sapele Seaport, the push for the extension of the Ujevwu-Itakpe railway line to Abuja, and strategic engagement on the Effurun–Sapele–Benin Road.

“Beyond policy, there have been visible community impacts, including the installation of 500kVA transformers across communities, the establishment of ICT centres in key schools, a large-scale medical outreach reaching thousands, and ongoing projects such as a 50-bed hostel in FUPRE and a train stop station at Egbo Uhurie.

“Equally significant is his long-standing commitment to human capital development, with over 2,000 Deltans empowered through the Dafinone Foundation, an effort that reinforces his belief that true leadership lies in creating systems that endure and opportunities that uplift.

“The symbolism of the Ughelli gathering cannot be overstated. It was a demonstration of political maturity, a conscious decision by leaders and followers alike to prioritize collective progress over individual ambition. It sent a clear message to opponents and observers: Delta Central is united, focused, and ready.

“As the 2027 electoral horizon gradually comes into view, the APC in Delta Central has effectively set the tone. With Senator Ede Dafinone as its consensus candidate, the party is not just preparing for an election; it is consolidating a movement anchored on continuity, competence, and coordinated development.

“Looking ahead, the expectations are equally clear. The next phase of leadership in Delta Central is not merely about sustaining momentum, but about deepening economic opportunities, expanding youth empowerment, accelerating infrastructure delivery, and strengthening education and human capacity.

The consensus around Dafinone reflects not just satisfaction with the present, but confidence in a forward-looking agenda that prioritizes growth, inclusion, and long-term regional relevance in line with the Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

“And if the events of April 26 are anything to go by, this is a movement powered not by imposition, but by the undeniable will of the people, aligned with a leadership philosophy that emphasizes “real and measurable results” over rhetoric.

“Delta Central has spoken. Loudly. Clearly. Decisively. What transpired was not just a rally; it was a strategic convergence, a political statement, clear and unmistakable. Before a sea of supporters stretching into the distance, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta Central closed ranks and settled the question many thought would linger: Senator Ede Dafinone is the consensus candidate for the Delta Central Senatorial District.

“This was not an endorsement by routine. It was consensus forged at the highest levels of political calculation. The alignment of key leaders across the three federal constituencies; Ethiope, Ughelli/Udu, and Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie backed firmly by all eight local government chairmen, the party structure, state legislators, and councillors reflects a coalition that understands both power and timing.

“In practical terms, the primary has been politically concluded before it is formally conducted. That is the weight of consensus. But every consolidation produces a moment of decision for those standing just outside its centre.

“Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is too experienced a political actor not to recognize what has unfolded. Delta Central has spoken, not in fragments, but in formation. The calculus has shifted from contest to alignment.

For Omo-Agege, alignment with Governor Oborevwori is not surrender; it is strategy sharpened by foresight. It offers continuity of influence, access to evolving structures, and a platform for sustained political relevance extending well beyond the immediate cycle, indeed, into 2031 and beyond.

“Crucially, the door is not closed, far from it. Governor Oborevwori is understood to be willing, indeed prepared, to work with Senator Omo-Agege in a manner that consolidates strength rather than dissipates it. In politics, such openings are not to be ignored; they are to be seized. To stand apart at a time of consolidation is to risk isolation; to step in is to shape outcomes. Meanwhile, within Delta Central, the equation is settled.

“The path before Senator Omo-Agege is therefore less about resistance and more about relevance, an opportunity to align with a clearly defined movement that has placed collective progress above individual ambition, and to remain a consequential part of Delta Central’s unfolding political trajectory.” Latimore wrote.

More knocks for Omo-Agege

Lord Davidson Onedju (De Pen Lion), a political analyst and public affairs commentator writing from Orerokpe, Delta State in his text, “Abandoned In 2023, Desired In 2027: Omo Agege Eyes The Seat Ede Dafinone Now Occupies – What Has Changed?

According to him, “What has changed about the seat? Nothing. What has changed about the man? His options. Omo-Agege did not abandon Delta Central in 2023 because the seat was broken. He abandoned it because he believed he had outgrown it. Now, with the governorship dream on life support and the political wilderness less comfortable than he anticipated, he returns not as a shepherd returning to a straying flock, but as a landlord checking on a property he once neglected—expecting to find it exactly as he left it.

“But seats are not luggage. Constituencies are not waiting rooms. And Ede Dafinone, however unflashy, has been present. In Delta Central politics, presence is not everything—but absence is certainly something the voters remember. If Omo-Agege wants to reclaim the mandate in 2027, he must answer one question before he asks for a single vote:Why should we trust you with tomorrow when you couldn’t stay for yesterday?

“Until he answers that—not with slogans, but with a credible account of what has actually changed about his commitment to the seat—his comeback bid is not a homecoming. It is an eviction notice served on the man who quietly did the job he walked away from.

“Senator Dafinone has been working, not waiting. The seat is not a relic to be reclaimed; it is a trust to be renewed. We welcome any contender to a debate on attendance, bills sponsored, constituency projects, and federal presence. Let the record speak.

“You cannot lead from the rearview mirror. Omo-Agege is looking at 2023. We are building 2027. Dafinone is not a firebrand, but he shows up. Omo-Agege’s legacy is stronger in headlines than in attendance logs.

“He left the seat in 2023. Now he wants it back in 2027. Omo-Agege treated Delta Central like a bus stop. Ede Dafinone stayed and worked. So what actually changed about the seat? Nothing. What changed about the man? His governorship dream. What has changed? Perhaps only Omo-Agege’s calendar.” he said.

As the contest intensifies, residents of Delta Central are closely following every development, with many expressing hope that the primaries will reflect a transparent and competitive process. The coming weeks promise drama, strategy, and political maneuvering. (Vanguard)

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