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In one of the most telling political realignments to emerge from Delta State’s APC in recent weeks, Hon. Moses Ogodo — a long-serving ally and former aide to embattled ex-Deputy Senate President Senator Ovie Omo-Agege — has formally broken ranks with his erstwhile political principal, declaring his full loyalty to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and pledging to work within the mainstream APC structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogodo made the landmark declaration on Sunday while addressing supporters at a gathering of the Team Moses Ogodo Support Group, where he also used the occasion to offer a frank explanation of his decision to withdraw from the recently concluded APC primary election for the Delta State House of Assembly seat representing Sapele State Constituency.
The announcement marks the end of a years-long political association between Ogodo and Omo-Agege — and it comes at a moment when the former Deputy Senate President’s political empire is crumbling at a pace that has stunned even his critics.
To fully appreciate the significance of Ogodo’s pivot, one must understand the dramatic political collapse that has overtaken his former principal in recent weeks.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who represented Delta Central for two terms and rose to become Deputy President of the 9th Senate, had stepped aside from the Senate in 2023 to contest the Delta State governorship election — a race he ultimately lost to the incumbent Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori. That defeat marked the beginning of a painful decline for a man once considered the undisputed APC strongman in Delta State.
Undaunted, Omo-Agege sought a return to the Senate, re-entering the contest for the Delta Central senatorial seat. But the APC primary held on May 18, 2026 delivered what can only be described as a catastrophic verdict. Incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone polled an overwhelming 116,252 votes to defeat Omo-Agege, who secured a mere 3,643 votes across the eight local government areas that make up the senatorial district. The margin was not a defeat — it was a demolition.
Omo-Agege, however, rejected the outcome and declared himself the winner of the exercise, despite the party’s official declaration. The move drew widespread ridicule and was seen by many political observers as the desperate reaction of a politician who had lost touch with his grassroots base.
Then came the resignation. In a resignation letter dated May 22, 2026, addressed to the APC Ward Chairman in Orogun Ward 2, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Omo-Agege announced his departure from the APC, with his decision taking “immediate effect.” He stated that recent developments within the party in Delta State forced him to reconsider his continued membership, saying his political objectives and those of his constituents were “better served outside the APC.”
Reports indicate that following his defeat, Omo-Agege was said to have joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in a bid to pursue his senatorial ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The fall of a man who was once the face of opposition politics in Delta State — and who served as Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate — could not have been more complete.
It is against this backdrop that Hon. Moses Ogodo’s declaration of loyalty to Governor Oborevwori and the APC structure carries its full weight. For years, Ogodo had been one of Omo-Agege’s trusted foot soldiers in the Sapele axis, lending his grassroots muscle and organisational network to the Senator’s political causes. His departure from that camp signals that even those closest to Omo-Agege now recognise that the political tide has turned irreversibly.
Addressing his supporters directly, Ogodo left no ambiguity about where he now stood.
“My commitment remains firmly with the APC and with the Renewed Hope Agenda as we look forward to the 2027 general elections,” he declared. “With your continued support, dedication, and prayers, I strongly believe that we can work together to achieve victory and deliver a resounding electoral success across Delta State.”
He was equally emphatic about one thing: he was not following Omo-Agege out of the APC door. He was staying — and he was aligning firmly with the party’s legitimate structure under Governor Oborevwori.
Aware that his shift in political allegiance would invite uncomfortable questions, Ogodo addressed the rumours head-on and without flinching.
“I want to make it abundantly clear that my decision was not motivated by fear, intimidation, pressure or any form of personal gain. I did not receive any financial benefit whatsoever — not a single penny,” he told the gathering firmly.
He described the choice as one reached only after extensive consultation with family, close friends and trusted political associates — a decision guided purely, he said, by his commitment to the party’s unity and long-term success.
“My action was guided solely by my belief in the party’s progress,” he said.
Ogodo also used the occasion to offer supporters a transparent explanation of his withdrawal from the APC Delta House of Assembly primary for the Sapele State Constituency seat — a move that had left sections of his base confused and frustrated.
He did not pretend it had been easy.
“This was not an easy decision. It was a very difficult one that had to be made within a short period of time,” he acknowledged. “After extensive deep consultations with my family, close friends, loyal supporters and party associates, I believe unity, cohesion and ultimate victory of our great party must always come first.”
But he made equally clear that stepping back from the primary was not a retreat from political life. Ogodo pointed supporters toward the anticipated creation by INEC of Sapele Urban and Sapele Rural constituencies ahead of the 2027 elections — a boundary restructuring that would double Sapele’s legislative representation — as the real prize he is positioning for.
“This necessary demarcation will bring governance closer to our people and I promise you that when that time comes, we will be ready to secure the representation our people truly deserve,” he pledged.
To silence any suggestion that his loyalty to the APC was that of a latecomer or opportunist, Ogodo traced his political biography back more than two decades — to a time when the progressive movement was still finding its feet.
“My political journey within the progressive family dates back to the days of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2003,” he recalled, walking supporters through the movement’s evolution from AD, to the Action Congress (AC), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and finally the merger that produced the APC in 2013.
“Today, by the grace of God, the APC remains the ruling party at both the federal and state levels. This achievement is a testament to the sacrifices, hard work, dedication and labour of love invested by countless party faithful over the years,” he said.
The message was pointed: unlike Omo-Agege, who joined the APC and now abandons it when the going gets tough, Ogodo has been part of the progressive family through every season — and he intends to remain so
Perhaps the most politically sensitive part of Ogodo’s address was his direct and firm appeal to his supporters — many of whom carry genuine frustrations over the primary outcome and over the turbulent political events of recent weeks.
Ogodo was measured but unambiguous: the anger stops here.
“I humbly appeal to all members of Team Moses Ogodo Support Group and our supporters to refrain from insulting, attacking or speaking negatively about our party leadership or fellow party candidates,” he said.
He reminded the group of what they had built together — and what undisciplined reactions could destroy overnight.
“Over the years, we have built this movement on faith, love, patience, discipline and mutual respect. Let us not allow temporary disappointments to destroy what we have painstakingly built together.”
He further directed members to remain active at the unit and ward levels as the APC begins serious mobilisation for the 2027 elections.
Ogodo’s public break with Omo-Agege is the latest — and arguably the most symbolically significant — in a series of defections from the former Senator’s political orbit since his crushing primary defeat.
Omo-Agege has long been regarded as the leader of APC in Delta State and a key opposition force. But the APC in Delta State has for years been plagued by factional struggles over leadership, structure, and control of party machinery — disputes that intensified after the 2023 governorship primary cycle, with allegations of imposition, parallel structures, and prolonged court battles weakening party cohesion.
Now, with Omo-Agege outside the APC entirely and allies like Ogodo publicly realigning with Governor Oborevwori’s structure, the political terrain across constituencies like Sapele is shifting with extraordinary speed.
For Ogodo, the road ahead is one he has chosen deliberately and publicly. Aligned with the Governor, loyal to the APC, and pointing toward the 2027 constituency restructuring as his defining moment, he is playing a patient, calculated long game in Sapele politics — and he is playing it in the opposite direction from his former principal.
The long game, it appears, has begun in earnest.
”Together, we shall continue to move forward with hope, determination, and faith in God’s promises.” Copied
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