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By Oscar Okhifo
Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his defeat in the party’s Delta Central senatorial primary election.
The resignation comes after a closely contested primary in which Omo-Agege lost the APC ticket for the Delta Central senatorial district ahead of the 2027 general elections, with incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone emerging as the party’s candidate.
According to reports, the outcome of the primary marked a significant turning point in the senator’s political trajectory within the ruling party.
The contest was widely viewed as a high-stakes political battle between two influential figures, with the party’s electoral committee declaring Dafinone the clear winner.
For political watchers, Omo-Agege’s exit did not come as a surprise.
His influence in the Delta APC dates back to the formative years of the party in the state, where he emerged as one of its most prominent figures long before the entry of key political actors such as former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
With the defection of both Okowa and Oborevwori into the APC, internal party dynamics shifted significantly, as the sitting governor naturally assumed the position of leader of the party in the state, in line with party structure and convention.
This new reality, political observers say, created tensions within the state chapter, particularly for Omo-Agege, whose ambition to return to the Senate was increasingly threatened following the realignment of power within the party.
Analysts note that the situation was further complicated by loyalty expectations within the new power structure of the APC in Delta State.
A senior APC stakeholder in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Once the governor joined the party, the structure changed completely. The centre of power shifted, and everyone had to align with the new reality. That was the turning point.”
During the primaries, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori openly declared support for incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone, an Urhobo politician like the former Deputy Senate President, further tilting the political balance within the contest.
The defeat in the primary is widely seen as the final blow to his senatorial ambition within the APC, prompting his resignation from the party.
As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear whether Omo-Agege will join another political party or step back from active partisan politics.
However, political observers believe his next move will shape the unfolding power dynamics in Delta State, where he remains a major political force despite his exit from the APC.