POLITICS
Omo-Agege denies directing Dafinone to vote against Akpabio in 2023 Senate election
Omo-Agege denies directing Dafinone to vote against Akpabio in 2023 Senate election
Omo-Agege described the allegation as a “cheap and mischievous fabrication,” insisting that he supported Akpabio’s emergence as Senate President in accordance with the position of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
In a statement dated November 10, 2026, and signed by his Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Godwin Anaughe, Omo-Agege said the allegation had persisted for too long without a response from his office.
Omo-Agege said he participated in the meeting and subsequently met Dafinone and Senator Joel Onowakpo-Thomas at his Asokoro residence, where he communicated the party’s decision.
He claimed both senators agreed to support the APC’s position.
However, the statement alleged that Dafinone later attended meetings organised by supporters of Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, who also contested the Senate presidency.
Omo-Agege further claimed that Vice-President Kashim Shettima intervened after reports emerged that the two Delta senators were not supporting Akpabio’s candidacy.
He said subsequent meetings involving the senators, former Delta APC chairman Elder Omeni Sobotie and former campaign director-general Godsday Orubebe were held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
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The statement also disclosed that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma later met with the two senators, who allegedly renewed their commitment to vote for Akpabio.
Omo-Agege said he received a text message from Onowakpo-Thomas after the election indicating that the party’s instructions had been followed.
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“Instructions carried out, Akpabio has won,” the message reportedly read.
He said he initially defended the two senators when allegations emerged that they had voted against Akpabio, adding that he only confronted Dafinone after evidence allegedly showed otherwise.
According to the statement, Dafinone admitted voting for Yari during a subsequent confrontation.
“I voted for Yari. On principle, I could not bring myself to vote for Akpabio,” Dafinone reportedly told him.
Omo-Agege maintained that the decision was Dafinone’s personal choice and not the result of any instruction from him.
“Omo-Agege did not compel and could never have compelled Dafinone to vote against a party position that he witnessed unopposed,” the statement said.
It added that Omo-Agege later met Akpabio to explain what happened, accompanied by engineer Tuoyo Omatstuli, who allegedly corroborated his account of the meetings preceding the election.
The former Deputy Senate President also said he had since moved on politically and should not be dragged into disputes involving members of his former party.
He challenged Dafinone to publicly address the allegations and explain his reported decision to vote for Yari.
“If any of this is a lie, let Dafinone come out himself and say so,” the statement added.
It further challenged the Delta senator to state publicly that he voted for Yari because Omo-Agege instructed him to do so.
akpabio, Dafinone, Omo-Agege,
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