Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Delta Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, has accused the camp of his successor, Senator Ede Dafinone of the All Progressives Congress (APC), of sponsoring what he described as frivolous petitions aimed at challenging his candidacy.
Omo-Agege made the allegation in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Sunny Areh, in reaction to an open letter reportedly written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Dafinone’s camp, seeking clarification on his membership of the NDC and inclusion on the commission’s final list of candidates.
The former Deputy President of the 9th Senate dismissed the move as an attempt to undermine his candidacy, describing the petition as “ill-conceived, frivolous and worthless.”
According to the statement, Omo-Agege duly resigned from the APC in compliance with relevant laws and party rules before joining the NDC.
His camp maintained that the circumstances surrounding his resignation were properly documented and that his membership of the NDC, as well as the party’s submission of his nomination to INEC, complied with applicable legal requirements.
The statement further argued that the NDC had taken appropriate steps under its constitution to protect the nominations of its candidates, including the granting of waivers to some aspirants as a precaution against possible internal disputes.
On the legal questions surrounding his eligibility, Omo-Agege’s camp referred to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, arguing that the decision did not disqualify him from contesting the Delta Central senatorial seat.
It insisted that his nomination remained valid, adding that INEC’s publication of his name on its final list of National Assembly candidates reinforced its position.
However, the claims regarding the validity of the nomination and the interpretation of the court judgment were presented by Omo-Agege’s camp. The statement did not include an independent legal assessment of the issues raised in the petition.
The former senator also accused Dafinone’s camp of attempting to avoid a direct electoral contest, arguing that both candidates should face voters based on their respective records in public office.
“Instead of sponsoring infantile petition-writing and forum shopping to achieve nothing, we advise Dafinone to summon the courage to meet Omo-Agege in the field,” the statement said.
Omo-Agege’s camp also criticised Dafinone’s performance in the Senate, alleging that the APC senator had failed to adequately represent the Urhobo people. It maintained that Omo-Agege’s candidacy had continued to attract broad support across Urhoboland.
The statement added that Omo-Agege remained focused on his campaign and would not be distracted by what it characterised as political manoeuvres intended to remove him from the ballot.
The development comes amid political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Delta Central senatorial seat expected to be a major focus of competition between the two political camps.
Dafinone’s response to the allegations was not contained in the statement issued by Omo-Agege’s media adviser.
