Barring any last minute unforseen developments or circumstances, former Deputy Senate President and Senator who represented Delta Central Senatorial zone in the 9th Senate, Obarisi Ovie Omo -Agege, as well as former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, who also served as Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, are now poised to join the Senatorial race in Delta State, under the banner of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
Founder and National leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, a two-term Bayelsa State Governor and current Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial zone in the national assembly, made the announcement in a widely circulated statement on social media and other news platforms, where he welcomed distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, into the party.
Senator Dickson, who described the arrival of Ochei and Omo-Agege into the NDC family as a strategic step toward consolidating the party’s strength in the South-South region and reinforcing its expanding national influence, declared that they have both been granted waivers to participate in the senatorial primaries scheduled to hold in their respective districts on Friday, May 29, 2026.
He said: “It was a pleasure to warmly receive Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR, former Deputy Senate President, into our great party, alongside Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
I am also pleased to announce that the NDC has not only received them warmly but has equally granted them waivers to contest in the senatorial primaries in their respective districts tomorrow. I wish them both the very best of luck.
This development is the result of several weeks of consultations aimed at strengthening the foundations of our party in the South-South region and across the country.
I urge everyone to warmly welcome them into our fast-growing family and extend to them the fullest support and cooperation.
Polity watchers opine that both Senator Omo-Agege and Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, whose recent resignations from the All Progressives Congress APC and intentions to join the Delta Senatorial race under the NDC, could have been influenced by two subsisting Federal High Court judgements delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar and Justice James Omotosho, respectively, who ruled on the electoral timelines of INEC, declaring that while the election umpire possesses constitutional and statutory powers to issue and adjust election timetables, such powers are not absolute and must align with the provisions of the law.
Both Justices who specifically faulted and nullified portions of the timetable that shortened the statutory period granted to political parties for the submission of voters registers, conduct of primaries and substitution of candidates, directed INEC to review it’s timelines for the 2027 general elections in accordance with both the electoral law 2026 and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended.
INEC has however raised nine grounds of appeal challenging the Judgement of Justice Mohammed Umar and subsequently lodged its submission with the Court of Appeal, but political pundits and judicial experts aver that both Senator Omo-Agege and Rt Hon. Victor Ochei, as well as a growing number of politicians wishing to participate in the contest for elective positions in the 2027 elections, but we’re denied tickets by their previous political parties, have latched on to the window provided by the subsisting Federal High Court judgements, to fulfill their political ambitions under the banner of other registered and willing political parties, until such a time when the Court orders are vacated or whenever the matter is finally adjudicated to its legitimate conclusion by the Courts.
Senator Ovie Omo -Agege is expected to pick the NDC ticket for the Delta Central Senatorial race and face Senator Ede Dafinone, who defeated him during the All Progressives Congress APC primaries, while Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, who did not participate in any Primaries, is however expected to pick the NDC Delta North Senatorial ticket after widespread calls to join the Senatorial race and pitch against former Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the APC in the 2027 Senatorial elections.