The Mayor of Urhoboland and prominent entrepreneur, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has strongly criticized former Deputy Senate President and 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, for his leadership style, describing him as a philandering politician with no real qualities of party leadership.
Reacting to a statement attributed to Senator Omo-Agege, in which he warned Governor Sheriff Oborevwori against defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC, Akpodoro stressed that political parties are meant for everyone who wishes to join, adding that the APC is not an exclusive preserve of the former Senator. He accused Omo-Agege of being an obstacle to the growth and progress of the party in Delta State.
Akpodoro further pointed out that Omo-Agege’s failure to work as a team player and his fear of intra-party competition is evident. He described Governor Oborevwori as an asset to any political party, emphasizing that he would be a valuable addition to any platform he chooses.
The Mayor continued by accusing Omo-Agege of trying to monopolize the APC’s gubernatorial ticket by controlling the party structure in the state, thus preventing other potential leaders from rising. He argued that the APC, as a large and inclusive political platform, can accommodate Oborevwori should he choose to join.
Addressing Omo-Agege’s style of politics, Akpodoro suggested that the former Senator was more suited for contract politics than true leadership. He criticized Omo-Agege for his narrow-mindedness, claiming that political success requires a large heart, something the former lawmaker allegedly lacks.
Akpodoro pointed out the involvement of key figures in the founding of the APC in Delta State, including Olorogun Otega Emerhor, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, and Jones Erue, all of whom were sidelined by Omo-Agege. This, Akpodoro claimed, led to the party’s decline in the state.
Furthermore, Akpodoro accused Omo-Agege of selfishness, claiming that he had hijacked important contracts meant to benefit the Urhobo people for his personal gain. He cited several abandoned projects, such as the Sapele-Eku-Agbor road contract, and the mismanagement of the pipelines surveillance contract meant for Urhobo youth empowerment, as evidence of Omo-Agege’s greed.
The Mayor warned that allowing Omo-Agege to retain control of the APC in Delta State would effectively bury the party, as no credible politician would want to join a party where Omo-Agege holds sole control. He criticized his leadership as being based on personal interest rather than the welfare of the people.
He concluded by calling on the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to intervene and save the party from further deterioration in Delta State. Akpodoro also accused Omo-Agege of undermining the Southern Nigeria power shift in the 2023 general elections by misleading delegates into supporting Lawan Muhammed, the then Senate President, who ultimately did not win. He characterized Omo-Agege as a “latter-day progressive” with no true commitment to transparency, accountability, or honesty, labeling him a “serial betrayer” of the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
