Omo-Agege’s ‘stolen mace’ saga denied APC 2023 Delta governorship victory – Dr Cairo Ojuogboh

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh has attributed the failure of the party at the 2023 general election to the Ovie Omo-Agege’s involvement in the mace snatching in the 8th Senate, which he said, created credibility crisis for the party.

He lamented that the party at the centre was forewarned on the consequence of having the Deputy Senate President as the APC governorship candidate, particularly as the video has been trending since Omo-Agege led thugs into the Senate Chamber on 18th April, 2018 to steal the mace.

Dr. Ojuogboh was reacting to the crisis rocking in the party before and after the 2023 general election in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Friday April 28, 2023, stressing that Delta APC sometime in September, 2022 prevailed on the National Secretariat not to field Omo-Agege as candidate, but was ignored.

While making reference to a video, Ojuogboh alleged that Omo-Agege had during the 8th Senate led thugs into the Senate to steal the mace, explaining that such character was not acceptable to the people of Delta, hence, they voted against the party in an embarrassing manner.

His words: “Of Course, we spoke the truth. He is saying that he’s going to the tribunal to go and reclaim his mandate, however, we wish him well, but what we are saying is that if you look at the way he invaded the Chambers of the 8th Senate with thugs and the rustle the mace out of Chambers, there is no judge in this country that did not notice or that did not see that particular video.

He said no judge at the Delta State election petition tribunal should consider Omo-Agege’s application, insisting that he was actually voted out by Delta people, saying:

“If there is any judge in this country seeing that video votes for Omo-Agege to become governor of Delta, may God give that Judge in his a governor like Omo-Agege. Because of that behaviour, there is no Judge who will look at Omo-Agege after the people have voted and voted him out and now reverse it and make him become governor of Delta, it will not happen.

In referencing a video where Omo-Agege and Peter Obi were seen on poster, Dr Ojuogboh further revealed that the Deputy Senate President worked against the presidential candidate of the APC, having entered into agreement with LP leadership in Delta State, which he said, the APC at the centre was informed.

He said: “The chief anti-party in Delta State is Ovie Omo-Agege. By December, 2022 to January, 2023, Omo-Agege went into agreement with Obiedients and Peter Obi to campaign for Peter Obi so that when the governorship election comes, Peter Obi and his people will work for him.

“So, the Labour Party supporters in Delta State were disappointed when Omo-Agege printed posters with the picture of himself and Peter Obi as they went round to cut off Peter Obi’s picture.

“Look at the group photograph he took with the Obidients and we reported it the party at the centre. I personally reported it and said, Omo-Agege is not working for the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC and of course you could the results in Delta. In Delta the APC could not make the 25%.

“That is anti-party activity. Why is he fighting me? Because, we told the party, I advise the party that Omo-Agege is not working for the party. We insisted and told him that he was not working for the party, so whoever that should be accused of anti-party is Omo-Agege and am happy that he has been expelled from the party. Ask any member of APC in Delta State today, they will tell you the same story.”