Ovie Omo-Agege, former deputy senate president and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has formally resigned his membership of the party, citing irreconcilable political differences and developments within the Delta State chapter of the APC.

In a resignation letter dated May 22 and addressed to the chairman of APC Orogun Ward 2 in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Omo-Agege announced that his resignation takes immediate effect.

The former senator, who represented Delta Central in the National Assembly and served as Deputy President of the 9th Senate, said his decision followed extensive consultations with political associates, supporters, and stakeholders across the state.

According to him, recent developments within the APC in Delta State made it difficult for him to effectively pursue the political aspirations of both himself and his constituents.

“After reviewing recent developments in the party in Delta State and consulting with my associates and supporters, it is clear my political objectives and those of my constituents are better served outside the APC,” Omo-Agege stated.

He further declared that he would not remain in a political platform where he could no longer advance the interests of Delta Central, Delta State, and Nigeria at large.

“I will not remain a sitting duck in a party where I cannot advance the interests of Delta Central, Delta State and Nigeria,” he added.

Despite his departure, Omo-Agege expressed gratitude to the APC for the opportunity to serve in one of the highest legislative offices in the country.

“I thank the party for the opportunity to serve as Deputy President of the 9th Senate,” he said, while requesting that his name be removed from all party membership records, registers, and communication platforms.

In a separate statement issued by his media adviser, Sunday Areh, the former deputy senate president reaffirmed his commitment to the development of Delta Central and the broader interests of Delta State, stressing that his political mission would continue outside the APC.

“My focus remains on delivering development and effective representation for Delta Central, Delta State, and Nigeria. I will pursue these goals outside the APC,” the statement read.

Omo-Agege’s exit is expected to reshape the political landscape in Delta State ahead of future political alignments and electoral activities, especially given his influence within the APC structure in the South-South region.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election after securing a decisive victory in the party’s primary election held on Wednesday night.

The results of the exercise were announced by Tunde Ogbeha, who declared Atiku winner of the keenly contested poll.

According to the official results, Atiku polled a total of 1,846,370 votes to defeat two other aspirants — Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

Amaechi secured 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen garnered 177,120 votes.

Speaking shortly after receiving the ADC flag as the party’s standard-bearer, Atiku called on his fellow contestants to unite with him ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He urged Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to “close ranks” with him in what he described as a collective mission to rescue Nigeria’s democracy and rebuild the nation.

The former Vice-President also stressed that the primary election produced “no winner and no vanquished,” insisting that all party members must work together for the success of the ADC in the next general election.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, described the primary election as free, fair, transparent, and credible.

Mark disclosed that he came under intense pressure from certain interests seeking to influence the outcome of the exercise but maintained that the party leadership refused to compromise the integrity of the process.

“We did not work towards a predetermined outcome,” he stated while commending party delegates for conducting themselves peacefully during the exercise.

Despite the declaration of results, the exercise was not without controversy, as both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen reportedly rejected the outcome of the primary over alleged irregularities and claims of voter disenfranchisement.

With his emergence, Atiku is expected to face incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested 2027 presidential election.

The Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has described the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a major step toward deepening ongoing reforms and building a more prosperous Nigeria.

Bamidele made the remarks in a congratulatory statement issued on Monday through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in Abuja, following Tinubu’s landslide victory in the APC presidential primary election conducted nationwide on Saturday.

According to the Senate Leader, Tinubu secured 10.99 million votes to defeat his sole challenger, Mr. Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,503 votes.

Reacting to the outcome of the exercise, Bamidele said Tinubu’s emergence as the standard bearer of the APC would help consolidate reforms already initiated across critical sectors of the nation’s economy and governance.

“I am therefore confident that your candidacy will help to fine-tune ongoing reforms across all sectors of the country and make us a prosperous nation. Your track records show that you are an agent of change,” he stated.

The Senate Leader praised Tinubu for what he described as bold leadership and decisive economic policies since assuming office, noting that the president inherited an economy facing serious challenges but did not hesitate to take difficult decisions aimed at securing the future of the country.

According to him, Tinubu confronted Nigeria’s economic realities head-on, a move he said had stimulated progress across various sectors of national life.

“You became President when Nigeria’s economy was at its lowest ebb. You didn’t shy away from taking tough decisions. Rather, you prioritised critical actions to secure future generations,” Bamidele said.

He further claimed that states were no longer depending on borrowing to pay workers’ salaries, attributing the development to reforms introduced by the current administration.

Bamidele also highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects under Tinubu’s administration, including the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, describing Nigeria as “a massive construction site.”

He added that the projects, alongside other road networks across the country, would strengthen economic connectivity between northern and southern Nigeria.

On education, the Senate Leader commended the administration for introducing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said had expanded access to tertiary education for many Nigerians.

According to figures he provided, over 1.1 million students had registered with the scheme, while more than 3.1 million loan applications had been received. He stated that institutional and upkeep loans worth over N242 billion had already been disbursed since the initiative commenced.

Bamidele also pointed to improvements in the oil sector and external reserves, stating that Nigeria’s crude oil production had increased from 1.273 million barrels per day in April 2023 to 1.71 million barrels per day under Tinubu’s leadership.

He further cited data from the Central Bank of Nigeria indicating that the nation’s foreign reserves rose from $35.09 billion in June 2023 to $49.49 billion in May 2026.

The Senate Leader also referenced economic growth figures, saying Nigeria’s economy recorded growth rates of 2.74 percent in 2023, 3.4 percent in 2024, 3.9 percent in 2025, and 3.89 percent in the first quarter of 2026.

He maintained that the reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had already begun transforming the country and expressed confidence that more progress would be achieved following the president’s emergence as APC presidential candidate.

“In my capacity as the Leader of the Senate, I assure you of at least 10 million votes from the South-West geopolitical zone of the country. The machinery to deliver those votes is already in motion,” Bamidele added.