Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Chief James Ibori has concluded arrangements to take over the structure of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State.
According to Daily Times there was a high-level meeting between Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief James Ibori and some selected leaders of APC in Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Ebonyi, Speaker of the HoR, Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila, and the Imo state Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma in Rivers State during the Commissioning of projects executed by Governor Wike.
At the meeting, it was agreed that Edo, Imo and Bayelsa must be taken by the APC in their next elections in order to consolidate the grips of the APC in the regions. According to inside sources, Chief Ibori spoke as the Leader of Delta APC at the meeting, thereby giving more credence to the fact that the APC gubernatorial candidate was not in the good books of the President-elect, but in swift reaction, Imma Niboro, media manager of his campaign organization, described the story against his boss as untrue adding that he ( Omo Agege) was in the good books of the President- Elect
Chief Ibori allegedly believes that his interest in the party structure ahead of 2027, will not see the light of day if Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu influences the party hierarchy in favour of DSP Ovie Omo-Agege, as they cannot guarantee his loyalty if given the opportunity to wield the executive powers of a Governor.
According to Chief Ibori, he only supported the candidacy of the Deputy Senate President because he was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
But having lost the election, he (Ibori) is now constrained to go back to the drawing board and prepare for 2027 with his choice of David Edevbie.
He is rather favourably disposed to having Chief David Edevwie run for governorship again in 2027 on the platform of the APC against Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Meanwhile the new pact is believed to have availed Chief James Ibori the opportunity to nominate four names to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for political appointments in his administration. Daily Times gathered that those who are being tipped include: Mr. Mofe Boyo (Minister of Petroleum); Olorogun David Edevwie (Executive Director, Finance and Administration, NDDC); Chief Ovuozorie Macaulay (MD. Niger Delta River Basin Authority); Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (Undecided portfolio) as well as Barr. Chiedu Ebie (Undecided portfolio).
In the light of the above, all hopes of Delta APC to have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ibori support the legal battle of Senator Omo Agege, may have been buried.
“The only person that is “coming” to Government House is Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori. And it is the prayer of Deltans that God gives him the grace to perform beyond the expectations of the people so that the 2027 election will be easier for him”, a source said.
But in a swift reaction, close aides to the former Governor James Onanefe Ibori who did not want their names in the print dispelled the story as untrue adding. According to them, “We are aware that our Oga is in love with APC at the moment because of the ways of PDP and if you observe he was not prominent during Campaigns in Delta State, to say he has taken over APC, is not true because he has not officially dumped PDP. As much as we know, he is still in PDP”.
