A new internal conflict has erupted within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, as Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme and Senator Ned Nwoko vie for control of party leadership in the Delta North Senatorial District.
The dispute is heating up ahead of a scheduled APC Delta North meeting set for June 14 at Senator Nwoko’s residence.
Onyeme is challenging Nwoko’s perceived leadership role, arguing that the position traditionally falls to the deputy governor.
Nwoko, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier this year, is viewed by some APC stakeholders as the most senior party official in the district.
However, Onyeme contends that party leadership in Delta North should align with the deputy governor’s office, citing historical precedent.
In a social media statement by his Press Secretary, Fidelis Egugbo, Onyeme referenced past administrations, noting that former deputy governors such as Chief Benjamin Elue and the late Prof. Amos Utuama held similar leadership roles during the Ibori and Uduaghan administrations.
“Deputy governors have traditionally convened political meetings in Delta North.
Sir Monday Onyeme is in a natural position to unify the party and should initiate dialogue with Senator Nwoko to avoid division,” Egugbo stated.
Nwoko’s supporters, however, reject that position.
A senior APC member, speaking anonymously, insisted that Nwoko remains the legitimate leader in Delta North due to his political seniority. “Senator Nwoko is the ranking APC figure in the district. Onyeme may be deputy governor, but that doesn’t automatically make him the party leader in this context,” the source told The PUNCH.
Efforts to obtain Senator Nwoko’s direct response were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his phone went unanswered as of press time.
This leadership dispute comes on the heels of Nwoko’s departure from the PDP in February 2025.
Sources suggest he left the party after repeated setbacks, allegedly orchestrated by former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, which blocked his emergence as a senatorial leader.
Meanwhile, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has stood by the political shift that brought him and other former PDP leaders into the APC. Speaking through Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads), Charles Aniagwu, the governor said the move was aimed at positioning Delta State for progress ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Our goal is not to destroy the PDP but to advance Delta’s development. It became clear the PDP couldn’t deliver in 2027, so we made the strategic shift to the APC,” Aniagwu said.
He also dismissed concerns that the administration was losing control, stating, “Anyone suggesting that is mistaken. We remain focused on delivering for the people.”
As part of the administration’s second anniversary, Aniagwu highlighted upcoming infrastructure projects, including the Beneku Bridge, Ishiagu-Ewulu Road, erosion control in Okpanam, and medical facility upgrades in Asaba, Warri, and Oghara.
For now, attention remains on the June 14 APC meeting, which many hope will either settle the leadership dispute or further expose the growing divisions within the party’s Delta North chapter.