A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun Barrister Adelabu Bodjor, has rejected claims that Olorogun O’tega Emerhor stepped down his senatorial ambition ahead of the 2023 general elections in favour of Senator Ede Dafinone, describing the narrative as misleading and lacking factual basis.
Bodjor, a pioneer chairman of the APC in Delta Central, made his position known while reacting to recent calls by a political group, the Emerhor Political Family (EPF), urging Senator Dafinone to relinquish his senatorial seat in favour of Emerhor ahead of the 2027 elections. The group, led by Chief Martins Ohwehwo, had cited reasons of equity, political balance, and party cohesion in its appeal.
However, Bodjor dismissed the argument, insisting that Emerhor never formally declared interest in the Delta Central senatorial race in 2023 and therefore could not have stepped down from a contest he did not enter. According to him, the claim being circulated by some supporters of Emerhor within the APC is unfounded and does not reflect the realities of the party’s internal processes during the last election cycle.
“For a start, Emerhor didn’t declare in 2023, so he could never be said to have stepped down,” Bodjor said. He added that even if there had been any private understanding between Emerhor and other political stakeholders, such an arrangement would not be binding on other aspirants, particularly Senator Dafinone, who contested and won the election under the APC platform.
Bodjor argued that political contests should be based on open declarations and transparent processes rather than retrospective claims or informal agreements. He maintained that no aspirant should be pressured to withdraw based on arrangements to which they were not a party.
He further suggested that any alleged agreement may have been influenced by local political considerations, such as both Emerhor and the APC gubernatorial candidate at the time coming from the same area, rather than any broader zoning principle within Delta Central politics.
The APC chieftain urged aspirants interested in contesting future elections to declare their intentions openly and subject themselves to the party’s democratic processes. He criticised what he described as attempts by some supporters of Emerhor to generate public sympathy through indirect pressure on the incumbent senator.
“Emerhor is yet to express an interest, so nobody can step down for someone who has not declared,” he said. “Those calling on Senator Dafinone to step down should perhaps be asking their principal to first declare.”
Bodjor also questioned the strategy of those advocating for Emerhor, suggesting that their approach could indicate uncertainty about his ability to win a competitive primary election within the party. He argued that the appropriate course of action would be for Emerhor to formally join the race and test his popularity against other aspirants.
“If indeed Emerhor wants to contest for the senate, the most honourable path is to declare openly, then face other aspirants in a free and fair primary,” he stated. “Rather than his supporters employing subtle blackmail and underhand tactics to whip up public sympathy.”
He added that political contests require both credibility and grassroots support, warning that avoiding internal party competition could weaken a candidate’s standing ahead of a general election.
In further remarks, Bodjor revisited Emerhor’s political history within the APC, noting that he had previously contested for major offices without success. According to him, Emerhor was the party’s senatorial candidate in 2013 and later its governorship candidate in 2015, but lost both elections.
While acknowledging Emerhor’s contributions to the party, Bodjor suggested that it may be time for other members to emerge and take up leadership roles. “He should not always have to be the candidate of the party,” he said, calling for a more inclusive approach to candidate selection.
Bodjor also pointed to what he described as contradictions among some APC members who have previously raised concerns about the influence of new entrants into the party but are now advocating for the removal of a sitting senator who secured victory under the party’s platform.
“It is equally surprising that this argument is coming from those who have complained that the old APC is being oppressed,” he said, describing the situation as troubling and inconsistent.
Addressing the issue of equity, which has been cited by the EPF as justification for its position, Bodjor argued that the principle has traditionally been applied in Delta Central politics through the distribution of positions across local governments and federal constituencies, rather than being tied to individual ambitions.
He maintained that it would be unfair to ask Senator Dafinone to step down solely because he shares a federal constituency with the state governor, noting that they are not from the same local government area.
“The current situation has brought different dynamics, and it would be unfair to ask Dafinone—who won his election against the odds—to step down simply because he and the governor are from the same federal constituency,” he said.
Bodjor further highlighted historical patterns of representation within Delta Central, noting that the Ughelli Federal Constituency has produced a significant number of senators since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. He argued that any discussion about equity must take into account this long-standing trend.
“If we must consider equity, is it fair that in the 28 years of this democratic dispensation since 1999, the Ughelli Federal Constituency has produced the senator for about 20 of those years?” he asked. “Any candidate elected from Ughelli North in 2027 would take that to 24 out of 32 years.”
He concluded that advocates of equity must apply the principle consistently and fairly across all constituencies, rather than selectively.
Bodjor also took a swipe at individuals claiming to represent Emerhor’s political family, suggesting that many of them lack a full understanding of the history and dynamics that shaped Emerhor’s rise within the APC. He hinted that more details about that trajectory could emerge in the future.
The development highlights growing political tensions within the Delta State chapter of the APC as stakeholders begin positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections, with debates over zoning, equity, and internal democracy likely to shape the party’s direction in the coming months.
