{"id":1559,"date":"2026-07-15T10:12:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1559"},"modified":"2026-07-15T10:12:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:12:21","slug":"court-hears-delta-south-apc-senatorial-primary-dispute-as-stakeholders-call-for-unity-and-credible-representation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1559","title":{"rendered":"Court Hears Delta South APC Senatorial Primary Dispute as Stakeholders Call for Unity and Credible Representation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Emojevu Cynthia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The political atmosphere in Delta State has remained active following the legal dispute over the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta South Senatorial District primary election, a development that political observers believe could influence the party&#8217;s preparations for the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case, currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, was instituted by the former Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Prince Michael Diden. The suit challenges the emergence of Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas as the APC candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District and seeks the court&#8217;s interpretation of the conduct and outcome of the party&#8217;s primary election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The development has attracted widespread attention from politicians, legal experts, and residents of Delta State. Many have described the case as a significant test of internal democracy within political parties, noting that transparent and credible primary elections are essential for strengthening Nigeria&#8217;s democratic process and reducing post-primary litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The court is expected to determine whether the APC complied with its constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act in conducting the primary election. The outcome of the suit is expected to have significant implications for the party&#8217;s political strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of this report, this reporter spoke with political stakeholders and residents to obtain their views on the ongoing dispute and the future of political leadership in the Delta South Senatorial District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chief Ologe Omovigho Victor, Senior Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, urged APC supporters to remain committed to the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;My message to APC supporters is to remain steadfast and continue supporting the party. The APC is working to strengthen the country and improve the economy. In Delta State, under the leadership of Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, several development projects are ongoing, particularly in Warri, while efforts are being made to improve infrastructure and raise the standard of living of the people. We remain committed to delivering the dividends of democracy across the state,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chief Victor added that the government would continue implementing policies and programmes aimed at promoting sustainable development, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the welfare of citizens across Delta State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also speaking, Mr. Prosper Okoro, a businessman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, and registered voter, stressed the need for quality representation in the National Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The next senator representing Delta South should be vibrant, dynamic, and committed to serving the people. We need someone who will not simply occupy a seat in the Senate but actively attract meaningful development projects to our communities. Our youths need employment opportunities, better roads, quality healthcare, improved education, and stronger economic opportunities. We need a leader who is selfless, accessible, accountable, and genuinely interested in the welfare of the people,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mr. Okoro added that former representatives who successfully attracted development projects to Delta South should serve as examples for future leaders. According to him, the people expect a senator who will place public interest above personal gain and work tirelessly for the overall development of the district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opinions expressed during the interviews reflect the concerns and expectations of political stakeholders and members of the public as the legal proceedings continue. While party officials remain optimistic about the future of the APC, many residents said they are more concerned with electing leaders who will provide quality representation and deliver tangible development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Political observers believe that the peaceful resolution of electoral disputes through the judiciary remains a fundamental pillar of Nigeria&#8217;s democracy. They argue that respect for the rule of law and stronger internal party democracy will help build public confidence in the country&#8217;s electoral system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is also a party to the suit, is expected to comply with the final decision of the court regarding the APC&#8217;s candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, stakeholders have called on political parties, aspirants, and supporters to remain peaceful and allow the judicial process to take its course. They also urged political leaders to place the interests of the people above personal ambition and continue working towards sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The outcome of the case will not only determine the APC&#8217;s candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District but may also shape the political landscape of Delta State ahead of the next general elections. Many residents hope the eventual judgment will strengthen democracy, promote fairness, and reinforce public confidence in Nigeria&#8217;s electoral process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Observers say the ongoing legal dispute underscores the importance of transparency, accountability, and internal democracy within political parties. As the court considers the arguments presented by all parties, citizens remain hopeful that the final judgment will uphold the rule of law and contribute to a stronger democratic process in Delta State and Nigeria as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Emojevu Cynthia The political atmosphere in Delta State has remained active following the legal dispute over the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta South Senatorial District primary election, a development that political observers believe could influence the party&#8217;s preparations for the 2027 general elections. The case, currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja, was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1561,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":53,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[414,21,218,415],"class_list":["post-1559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trendingnews","tag-abuja","tag-apc","tag-court","tag-political-party"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1559"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1563,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1559\/revisions\/1563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}