Former Deputy President of the 9th Senate and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has raised the alarm over what he described as “disturbing and increasingly credible” threats to his life and those of his family members.
Omo-Agege, in a statement published on his official Facebook page, alleged that the threats were emanating from the Delta State Government House in Asaba.
He issued the warning as he commenced his campaign activities across the eight local government areas of Delta Central, beginning with Uvwie Local Government Area.
The former senator called on the Nigerian public, international community, civil society organisations, media organisations and security agencies to take formal notice of the alleged threats.
Omo-Agege further stated that if anything untoward happened to him or any member of his family, the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, should be held responsible and accountable.
He specifically called on the people of Delta Central, particularly the Urhobo people, to take note of his allegation.
The latest development is the newest escalation in an increasingly bitter political confrontation between Omo-Agege and Oborevwori ahead of the 2027 elections.
How the Political Feud Started
The relationship between the two politicians deteriorated significantly after Oborevwori and Omo-Agege found themselves on opposing sides of the political battle for Delta State during the 2023 elections.
Omo-Agege was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2023 election, while Oborevwori contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and won the governorship.
The rivalry resurfaced in 2026 after Oborevwori moved from the PDP to the APC, while Omo-Agege subsequently left the APC after losing the party’s Delta Central senatorial primary to Senator Ede Dafinone.
Omo-Agege later joined the NDC and declared his intention to contest the Delta Central Senate seat in 2027. The NDC subsequently granted him a waiver to contest the election.
Oborevwori: Omo-Agege Is No Threat
In June, Oborevwori dismissed Omo-Agege’s political relevance, saying his defection from the APC did not pose a threat to the party or his own political ambitions.
The governor also accused Omo-Agege of repeatedly falling out with political figures who had supported his political rise.
Oborevwori alleged that Omo-Agege had previously fallen out with former Governor James Ibori, politician Great Ogboru and O’tega Emerhor.
“He is not somebody that can be trusted,” Oborevwori said in an interview with Arise TV, adding that Omo-Agege was not a threat because “I have won him before.”
Omo-Agege Fires Back
Omo-Agege responded by accusing Oborevwori of abandoning the PDP and joining the APC because he feared facing him politically in 2027.
The former senator said the governor had “chickened out” of the PDP because of the political threat he posed.
He also pointed to the 2023 election results in Delta Central, claiming that he defeated the governor’s preferred candidate in the senatorial contest by about 15,000 votes.
The former deputy Senate president subsequently intensified his criticism of the Oborevwori administration, accusing it of failing to adequately translate the state’s substantial revenues into development.
He claimed that Delta had received more than N3.15 trillion in three years but had little to show for the funds.
Oborevwori, however, has defended his administration’s record, citing road projects and other infrastructure developments across the state.
2027 Battle Intensifies
The latest allegation by Omo-Agege adds a security dimension to what has already become one of the major political battles ahead of the 2027 elections in Delta State.
While Omo-Agege is seeking a return to the Senate under the NDC, Oborevwori is pursuing a second term as governor on the APC platform.
Omo-Agege has also declared his support for Peter Obi as his preferred presidential candidate for 2027, further placing him politically against the Oborevwori camp, which has publicly backed President Bola Tinubu.
However, Omo-Agege’s allegation of threats remains an allegation at this stage. No evidence establishing that the Delta State Government or Governor Oborevwori ordered or sponsored any threat against him or his family was provided in the statement.
The governor and the Delta State Government would therefore need to respond to the allegation as the political contest in the state enters a more intense phase.
With Omo-Agege now commencing his campaign across Delta Central, the latest development is likely to further heighten tensions between the two prominent Urhobo politicians ahead of the 2027 polls.
