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Incumbent Senator Wins by Landslide According to Official Results, but Former Deputy Senate President Rejects Outcome
Asaba – The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for the Delta Central Senatorial District has produced conflicting claims, with incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone and former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege both declaring victory in the exercise conducted on Monday.
While the APC National Assembly Primary Committee officially declared Dafinone the winner by a landslide margin of 116,252 votes to 3,643 votes, Omo-Agege rejected the outcome and declared himself the victor, setting the stage for a potential showdown over who will fly the party’s flag in the 2027 general elections.
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What the Official Results Say
According to the APC National Assembly Primary Committee, which conducted the exercise across the eight local government areas of Delta Central, Senator Ede Dafinone secured a commanding victory.
| Candidate | Votes Polled |
|---|---|
| Sen. Ede Dafinone | 116,252 |
| Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege | 3,643 |
Margin of victory: 112,609 votes
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The Secretary of the APC National Assembly Primary Committee, Barr. Nusa Amagbor, who served as the returning officer, made the official declaration.
“Based on the authenticated results before me, Senator Ede Dafinone scored a total of 116,252 votes, while his opponent scored a total of 3,643 votes.
Having satisfied all the requirements of our great party and secured the highest number of valid votes cast in this primary, Senator Ede Dafinone is hereby declared the winner of the Delta Central Senatorial District primary election.”
Also Read: FULL LIST: Wike Loyalists Who Won APC Reps Tickets in Rivers
The committee described the exercise as peaceful, credible, and transparent, noting that the direct primary method (Option A4) was adopted across all wards in the eight local government areas.
Omo-Agege Rejects Result, Claims Victory
Despite the official declaration, Ovie Omo-Agege rejected the outcome and declared himself the winner of the primary.
In a Facebook post on Monday evening, the former Deputy Senate President stated:
“Based on collated results from all 85 wards across our eight local government areas, we have won decisively. Across the senatorial district, long open-secret balloting queues stood in my favour, reflecting your overwhelming mandate and commitment to our shared vision for Delta Central and the APC.”
Omo-Agege added that the party was still awaiting the official declaration of results by the APC national headquarters in Abuja, in line with the directive of the party’s National Organising Secretary.
He urged APC members in the district to remain calm, united, and focused as the collation and announcement process continues.
Dafinone Extends Olive Branch
Following his official declaration as winner, Senator Dafinone struck a conciliatory tone, praising the transparency of the process and calling for unity within the party.
“What is my assessment of the election, and what is my overall take? First of all, let me say that the process of the primaries was conducted in a transparent, open, free, and fair manner.”
He added:
“I will also take this opportunity to call on Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to join forces with other members of our party so that we can work together for victory in 2027 across all positions.”
Political Analysts Weigh In
Political observers have described the outcome of the Delta Central primary as one of the most significant internal party contests in recent APC history in Delta State.
The wide margin — with Dafinone leading by more than 112,000 votes — reflects what analysts describe as strong grassroots support for the incumbent senator since he assumed office.
The Director-General of the Delta Progressives Movement (DPM), Comrade Kefe Stanley Ikpeni, described Dafinone’s victory as a “defining and historic moment” in the political evolution of Delta Central.
“Today, you have broken the iron gate of prejudice. You have proven that leadership is not sustained by fear, pressure, or political mythology, but by competence, character, credibility, and the confidence of the people,” he said.
Delta North: Okowa Defeats Nwoko
Meanwhile, in the Delta North Senatorial District, former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa emerged as the APC flagbearer after defeating incumbent Senator Ned Nwoko.
| Candidate | Votes Polled |
|---|---|
| Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa | 113,309 |
| Sen. Ned Nwoko | 2,612 |
Okowa secured victory by a wide margin in the direct primary conducted across the nine local government areas of the district.
What We Know So Far — Key Takeaways
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who did the APC committee declare winner? | Sen. Ede Dafinone (116,252 votes) |
| What was Omo-Agege’s official score? | 3,643 votes |
| Is Omo-Agege accepting the result? | No — he has declared himself the winner |
| What happens next? | APC national headquarters in Abuja is expected to make the final declaration |
| Who won Delta North? | Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa (defeated Ned Nwoko) |
Bottom Line
For now, Delta Central has two claimants to the APC senatorial ticket:
- Sen. Ede Dafinone — backed by the official APC primary committee results
- Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege — claiming victory based on his own collation
All eyes are now on the APC national headquarters in Abuja, which is expected to issue the final binding declaration.
Until then, the battle for the Delta Central APC senatorial ticket remains unresolved.
Ejes Gist News will continue to monitor developments from the APC national headquarters and provide updates on the final declaration for the Delta Central Senatorial ticket.
