“We Don’t Want You in APC” — Ned Nwoko Tells Delta Governor

Senator Ned Nwoko has firmly rejected the idea of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring the governor unwelcome in the party. Nwoko made this declaration over the weekend in Agbor, during a high-profile defection event where members of the Delta Unity Group (DUG) from the Ika Federal Constituency left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

Speaking to a crowd of supporters, Nwoko stated, “Oborevwori wants to come to APC, but tell him to stay where he is. He will be defeated. We don’t want him in APC. The President personally told me that he will deliver Delta to APC, maybe that is why the governor is desperate.”

He expressed confidence that the APC will take over the leadership of Delta State in 2027, describing the PDP’s 25-year rule in the state as marked by corruption and mismanagement. “Delta will surely become an APC state come 2027. 25 years of corrupt governance by the PDP in the state is enough. We must take over. The time has come for that to happen,” he said.

Nwoko praised the defection of the DUG, describing it as a major boost to the APC’s momentum. “Today, we are emboldened and happy that a large political group like the DUG is following my footsteps in joining the APC,” he added. He urged party members to spread the word that the next governor of Delta State will come from the APC, insisting that the party is now strong enough to lead the state.

His remarks align with those of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who also opposed Oborevwori’s potential defection. Omo-Agege reiterated that while the APC welcomes fresh members, it will not accept Oborevwori or his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Omo-Agege noted that the APC’s growing strength, marked by the defection of more than 60% of PDP members since 2023, places the party in a strong position to deliver Delta State for President Bola Tinubu and win the 2027 elections across all legislative levels.

However, political observers have warned that allowing Oborevwori and Okowa into the APC could destabilise the party and alienate voters who see both figures as emblematic of the PDP’s legacy in the state. Their association with the APC, analysts suggest, might weaken the party’s message of change and reform.