Former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), days after former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege dumped the ruling party.
Mr Ochei announced his resignation in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.
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Sources close to Ochei told PREMIUM TIMES that the defection stems from mounting pressure from his supporters across Delta North and beyond urging him to contest for the Senate.
Many of those supporters have publicly said they are seeking an alternative political option to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and incumbent Senator Ned Nwoko. Ochei’s resignation and his next steps may be linked to honouring that call.
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His resignation adds to the growing disquiet within the APC in Delta following the recent exit of Mr Omo-Agege, the party’s 2023 governorship candidate and one of its most influential leaders.
Mr Omo-Agege had signed his resignation letter on 22 May, although the development became public on Wednesday, and on Thursday he announced his crossover to the National Democratic Congress to pursue his Senate ambition.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported complaints by Mr Nwoko about recent political developments in the APC after he lost the Delta North senatorial district primary to Mr Okowa.
In his statement, Mr Ochei said he took the decision after “deep reflections and wide consultations.”
“After deep reflections and wide consultations, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to formally resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and move on to continue my political journey elsewhere,” he stated.
The former speaker said he joined the APC in 2016 with “sincerity of purpose” and spent years working to strengthen the party across Delta.
According to him, he helped to expand the party’s grassroots base, mobilise support across communities and encourage political participation among youths and women.
“Long before many who currently occupy positions within the party joined the political family they now belong to, I had already committed myself to the ideals of leadership, service, grassroots development, and the pursuit of a better society for our people,” he said.
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Mr Ochei, however, noted that political leadership must continue to evolve to reflect “inclusion, mutual respect, fairness, and the aspirations of the people.”
He said his resignation was not motivated by bitterness or personal grievances.
Mr Ochei thanked his supporters, political associates and party stakeholders for standing by him during his time in the APC.
His resignation comes amid mounting political realignments in Delta State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Ochei is yet to announced which political party he is going to join.
