The Director-General of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA), Hon. Benjamin Essien Okiemute, has appealed to former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Diden, popularly known as Ejele, to withdraw his court case challenging the emergence of Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Delta South Senatorial District.
Okiemute made the appeal while reacting to the legal dispute arising from the APC direct primary election held on May 18, 2026, in which Senator Joel-Onowakpo was declared winner and the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election.
He urged Diden, whom he described as a committed member of the APC, to explore the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms rather than pursue litigation, stressing that an amicable settlement would promote unity and strengthen the party ahead of the general election.
According to him, internal reconciliation remains crucial to the stability and electoral fortunes of the APC, adding that members should place the collective interest of the party above personal political ambitions.
Okiemute, an APC chieftain from Isoko South Local Government Area, also argued that the Delta South Senatorial seat should remain in Isoko for two consecutive terms in the interest of equity, fairness and political stability.
He maintained that Senator Joel-Onowakpo should be allowed to complete two terms in office, in line with what he described as the spirit of political understanding among the ethnic nationalities that make up Delta South Senatorial District.
“For the sake of peace, unity and togetherness, Hon. Michael Diden should consider withdrawing the case and support Senator Joel-Onowakpo’s second-term bid,” Okiemute said.
“The Itsekiri ethnic group should be given the opportunity to produce the senator in 2031.”
He further argued that a second term for Joel-Onowakpo would enable the senator to consolidate on ongoing projects, programmes and legislative initiatives, adding that continuity would serve the overall interest of the people of Delta South.
Okiemute expressed confidence that the senator’s continued representation would deepen development across the district and further strengthen the APC’s electoral prospects.
He also called on party leaders and stakeholders across Delta South to close ranks and work towards reconciliation, warning that prolonged internal disputes could undermine the unity required for electoral victory in 2027.
Okiemute served as Deputy Director-General of the Joel-Onowakpo Campaign Organisation during the 2023 general election, playing a prominent role in the campaign that culminated in the senator’s victory.
