Intrigue Begins As Omo-Agege Reveals How PDP Manipulated Figures To Win 2023 Delta Governorship

…Queries ‘deliberate neglect of Ndokwa East’

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, what played out in the 2023 Delta State Governorship election that was declared won by the PDP is beginning to unfold as the Deputy President of the 9th Senate and former Delta State APC governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has made a shocking expośe about the election.

Omo-Agege alleged that where PDP got 300 votes, they manipulated the figures to read 1,300, unlike APC, the political party where he contested that got genuine and organic votes across the state.

Speaking at an enlarged APC stakeholders’ meeting with elders, leaders, and members of party in attendance in Aboh, Ndokwa East, where he made the claims, Omo-Agege accused the PDP-led Delta State Government of wickenly abandoning the local government area of his running mate thus marginalizing the people of Ndokwa East Local Government Area.

He alleged that in a bid to win the council area and for fear of his runningmate, the PDP government hurriedly paid ‘special attention to Ndokwa East’ and overnight appointed three Commissioners, many Executive Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants from the area.

He challenged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led state government to prove him wrong if they didn’t abandoned the council area because of his running mate, lamenting that despite the area’s significant contributions to the state’s revenue, there is little to show in terms of tangible infrastructure development.

Pinpointing the underdevelopment in Ndokwa East, he said, “Look at Aboh, where we are today—no telephone network, yearly flooding, and yet none of these issues have caught the attention of the Delta State Government. Is there anyone here who is not feeling the pains of underdevelopment?”

“My challenge to the state government is simple: What have they done to address these challenges? Or is Ndokwa East not part of Delta State? With all your contributions to the state’s revenue, what do you have to show except neglect?” Assuring that when APC takes over government in 2027, Ndokwa East will get special attention.

According to him, “Ndokwa East is a special local government area; this is so because my deputy comes from here. In the last election, because of the fear of my deputy, PDP paid special attention to Ndokwa East. Overnight, they appointed three Commissioners, many Executive Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants. But despite all that, we came very close to winning the local government, losing by just about a thousand votes, according to INEC’s declared results.”

He further alleged that PDP manipulated the election results, stating, “One thing that is clear from the votes we got is that our over 9,000 votes are organic and legitimate votes. But that can’t be said of their own. Like someone said here, where they got 300, they would add one in front to make it 1,300, and that is how they won, unlike our votes, which are genuine.”

Omo-Agege also claimed that the PDP attempted to buy over APC ward and local government executives before the elections. “Recall that two weeks to the election, as one of our leaders here mentioned, they went around offering our Ward and Local Government executives N5 million each to defect to PDP. That is why, overnight, some of our executives decamped. However, those who took the money have been abandoned, and the N5 million they collected has long been spent.”

He urged APC members to remain united, emphasizing that politics is a game of numbers and that every member, regardless of when they joined, is important. “Politics is about numbers. One person alone cannot deliver a local government. Our strength lies in our ability to expand and bring more people into the party. We saw the difference in the results from 2019 and 2023 because we grew our support base.”

Omo-Agege assured party faithful that their efforts in the last election were not in vain, urging them not to be discouraged. “Among all the nine LGAs in Delta North, you performed exceptionally well. You came very close to winning the local government for us, but for forces beyond your control. With a little push, I believe you can take us across the finish line. So, don’t be discouraged.”

He also called for unity among APC leaders, stating, “In every political family, just like in our personal families, people have disagreements, but they always settle. Whatever issues exist among our leaders, they will be resolved for the good of our party. We are brothers and sisters; we will not fight to the death. So, go about mobilizing new members to join our party. Let the leaders handle their disagreements and find common ground.”