Agboje Chuks
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta North Senatorial District is embroiled in a significant internal crisis, stemming from divergent endorsements for President Bola Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori ahead of the 2027 general election.
The escalating discord is further exacerbated by the controversial exclusion of Senator Prince Ned Nwoko in a recent key endorsement meeting, highlighting deep-seated factionalism within the party.
Few weeks ago, a prominent faction comprising “old” APC guard, led by Senator Prince Ned Nwoko, converged in Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North.
This group, which included influential figures such as State Party Chairman Elder Omeni Sobotie, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives Hon. Chamberlain Dunkwu, and former NIMASA chieftain Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, threw their weight behind President Tinubu, Governor Oborevwori, and Senator Nwoko for re-election in 2027.
However, a more recent gathering in Boji-Boji Owa, the hometown of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in Ika North-East, local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria has revealed a starkly different alignment.
This meeting, predominantly attended by recent defectors from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), also endorsed President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori but conspicuously omitted Senator Nwoko from their list of supported candidates.
The “new” APC chieftains at the Boji-Boji Owa meeting were spearheaded by Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme. Where the motion for the endorsements was moved by Hon. Victor Nwokolo, who represents Ika Federal Constituency, and seconded by Hon. Emeka Nwobi, Majority Leader of the State’s House of Assembly.
The rationale provided for these endorsements was the continuation of the President and Governor’s “good work.”
Curiously, Elder Omeni Sobotie, who had attended the earlier Idumuje-Ugboko meeting, was also present at the Boji-Boji Owa event but could not chant the endorsement of Senator Ned Nwoko
Elder Omeni described the gathering as one of “those who can win election” and affirmed Deputy Governor Onyeme, being from the district, as the party’s leader.
Onyeme himself expressed satisfaction with the turnout, emphasizing that the “energy and unity show that we are ready to take APC to greater heights in Delta North.”
He stressed the importance of “loyalty to the party and respect for leadership,” urging party members in government to “lead by example and support the party structure wholeheartedly,” concluding that unity is the party’s “greatest strength” for success in 2027.
Immediate past Governor Ifeanyi Okowa also played a prominent role at the Boji-Boji Owa meeting, urging party members to focus on the continuity of President Tinubu’s and Governor Oborevwori’s “Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda.”
Other notable attendees included Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Hon. Pascal Adigwe, Hon. Doris Uboh, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, and Elder Moses Iduh.
The conflicting endorsements and the sidelining of Senator Nwoko underscore a deeply fractured APC in Delta North, raising questions about the party’s unity and strategic direction as the 2027 general election approaches.
The emergence of distinct factions, one rooted in long-standing party membership and the other largely composed of recent cross-carpeters, portends a challenging path for the APC in consolidating its strength within the senatorial district.
