In a blistering rebuttal that exposes deepening rifts within Delta State’s political landscape, Chuks Erhire, a key aide to former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, has categorically dismissed reports suggesting that Senator Peter Nwaoboshi persuaded Omo-Agege to shelve his ambitions for the 2027 governorship race.
Labeling the claims as “fake, malicious, too petty and erroneous,” Erhire accused mischief makers within the Delta chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a deceptive campaign to sway public opinion toward incumbent Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
The controversy erupted following a Vanguard Newspaper report where Nwaoboshi, a former senator, reportedly claimed he had “entreated Omo-Agege not to run against Gov Oborevwori” during a discussion witnessed by a former state governor.
Nwaoboshi expressed skepticism that Omo-Agege would pursue the bid unless he had “changed his mind after our discussion,” framing the advice as a bid for party unity amid Oborevwori’s recent defection to the APC, positioning him as the state’s new APC leader.
Erhire’s statement, issued as an urgent “update” to Deltans, pulled no punches in dismantling the narrative.
“Dear Deltans, the so-called information from Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is fake, malicious, too petty and erroneous in nature,” he declared.
“Senator Peter Nwaoboshi did not have any political rapport with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege with regards to burying his governorship ambition for Sheriff Oborevwori in 2027.”
Emphasizing the absence of any direct engagement, Erhire asserted: “To set the record straight, our Principal, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege did NOT indulge in any phone conversation or round table discussion with Senator Peter Nwaoboshi concerning forfeiting his governorship quest for Sheriff Oborevwori in 2027.
“The fake news is the handwork of mischief makers from the tenants of Delta APC, to score cheap political points and deceive Deltans to align with Sheriff Oborevwori in the governorship election.”
This denial comes against a backdrop of intensifying jockeying for the 2027 polls in Delta State, where Omo-Agege, the APC’s 2023 gubernatorial flagbearer, has repeatedly signaled his intent to challenge the status quo.
Despite losing to Oborevwori in the last election, Omo-Agege has predicted the collapse of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and expressed confidence in an APC victory, urging party unity in public statements earlier this year.
Oborevwori’s defection to the APC in April 2025 has further muddied the waters, sparking internal battles over leadership and candidacy, with Omo-Agege’s loyalists viewing it as a potential threat to his comeback.
Erhire’s response not only defends Omo-Agege’s resolve but also rallies supporters to dismiss the “fake news” and mobilize for the future.
“We the pragmatic political soldiers of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, call on all Deltans to pay deaf ears to the fake news and look forward to seeing Senator Ovie Omo-Agege partake in the governorship election in Delta State in 2027,” he urged.
Painting Omo-Agege as a beacon of hope amid what he described as the state’s “underdevelopment and impoverishment,” Erhire proclaimed: “Senator Ovie Omo-Agege remains committed to the progress of Deltans and development of Delta State, far beyond the underdevelopment and impoverishment we are experiencing in Delta State. Together, we can build a better Delta State in 2027, with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the architect of the building.”
With a powerful call to arms, he said: “Let’s support Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Let’s rally round Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Let’s campaign for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Let’s vote for Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in 2027 as governorship candidate.”
As Delta’s political temperature rises, this exchange underscores the high-stakes maneuvering ahead of 2027, with Omo-Agege’s camp positioning him as the unrelenting force against entrenched interests.
Political analysts predict this feud could reshape alliances within the APC and beyond. Deltans, meanwhile, are left to navigate a battlefield of claims and counterclaims in their quest for a “better Delta.”
