Tensions are rising in Delta State’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme and Senator Ned Nwoko face off over who should lead the party in the Delta North Senatorial District.
The dispute comes ahead of a major APC Delta North meeting scheduled for June 14 at Nwoko’s residence, sparking controversy over who has the right to convene and lead political discussions in the region.
Senator Nwoko, who joined the APC earlier this year after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is seen by some party members as the most senior APC figure in Delta North.
However, Onyeme argues that the position of deputy governor comes with the traditional responsibility of leading political meetings in the district.
His Press Secretary, Fidelis Egugbo, shared a statement on social media asserting that previous deputy governors played a central unifying role in politics and suggested Onyeme should meet privately with Nwoko to prevent divisions within the party.
Egugbo referred to past administrations, where deputy governors like Chief Benjamin Elue and the late Prof. Amos Utuama held key meetings in their homes, establishing a precedent for Onyeme’s claim.
However, Nwoko’s camp disagrees.
A senior APC figure, speaking anonymously, insisted that by party hierarchy, Nwoko is the rightful leader in the district and questioned whether Onyeme had any authority over party matters specific to Delta North.
Efforts to get a comment from Nwoko were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone were not answered.
The disagreement has reopened old wounds within the APC, particularly from when Nwoko left the PDP in February 2025, reportedly out of frustration after being blocked by former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa from becoming the senatorial leader.
Meanwhile, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has defended the political shifts, saying they were necessary to reposition the state for progress before the 2027 elections.
Through the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads), Charles Aniagwu, the governor explained that the move from PDP to APC was not a betrayal but a strategic step forward.
He dismissed claims that his administration was losing control and listed major infrastructure projects ready for commissioning to mark the administration’s second anniversary.
