Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who founded the Delta State APC, has firmly denied Senator Ovie Omo-Agege’s recent claim. He was responsible for building the party from scratch.
Responding to Omo-Agege’s interview on Arise Television. Emerhor urged him to stop what he called “preposterous” efforts to change the party’s history.
Emerhor said he established and grew the APC in Delta before Omo-Agege joined. And claimed he was the one who brought the former Deputy Senate President into the party.
“I am the founding leader of Delta APC, and nobody has ever disputed that fact,” Emerhor said. “Omo-Agege joined the party on the same day as Chief Great Ogboru, at a time when the party was already established.
I received both of them and took them to the then-National Chairman of the APC. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, where they were formally registered. If the party structure had not existed, what did they join?”
He said Omo-Agege’s repeated claims that the party was built alone were not true and called them an insult to the many leaders and members who helped the APC grow.
Emerhor said Omo-Agege’s focus on personal achievements contributed to the party’s intra-party divisions. And his loss in the 2023 governorship race.
He criticised Omo-Agege for taking all the credit for the election wins of Senators Ede Dafinone and Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, saying these successes came from the party’s efforts, not just one person.
Emerhor claimed that Omo-Agege used his position as Deputy Senate President to sideline the founding APC leaders. Leading to strong resentment within the party.
He argued that this internal struggle was why APC supporters voted for legislative candidates in 2023 but did not back Omo-Agege for governor.
Emerhor challenged Omo-Agege to name any major figures who joined him in moving to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Saying Victor Ochei left on his own and not as part of Omo-Agege’s group.
He said that the lack of major defections showed “who was the real problem within the Delta APC.”
In a live interview on Arise Television, Omo-Agege said he was the main opposition figure in Delta politics. He also claimed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori left the PDP for the APC because he was afraid to face him in the 2027 governorship election.
Omo-Agege argued that under his leadership, the APC became a strong force in Delta. Winning two Senate seats and beating the PDP in the Delta Central Senatorial District.
He said he never accepted defeat in the 2023 governorship election. Claiming he believed he had won before the courts confirmed Oborevwori’s victory.
“If Sheriff Oborevwori believed I was no threat. He would have stayed in the PDP and faced me in 2027,” Omo-Agege said. He claimed the governor left the PDP after seeing more people join the APC before the next election cycle.
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