Omo-Agege Fires Back at Oborevwori, Alleges Governor Ordered ‘Unconstitutional’ Removal of Udu Lawmaker

“Read the Constitution. Not selectively. Not conveniently. All of it,” says former Deputy Senate President as political feud escalates

By Our Correspondent
Published: July 9, 2026

The political storm over the removal of Udu State Constituency lawmaker Hon. Collins Egbetamah intensified yesterday as Senator Ovie Omo-Agege issued a blistering response to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, accusing the state government of orchestrating what he termed an “unconstitutional” legislative coup and demanding a full accounting of over ₦3 trillion in federal allocations received by the state .

In a statement titled “Defending the Indefensible: Our Response to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on the Unconstitutional Removal of Hon. Collins Egbetamah,” Omo-Agege rejected three demands issued by the Governor—to delete a critical video, apologize to the Delta State House of Assembly, and embrace “issue-based politics.” The former Deputy President of the 9th Senate responded with a sharp constitutional rebuke, insisting that Governor Oborevwori’s intervention had inadvertently placed the administration’s “fingerprints permanently on this unconstitutional act” .

The controversy began on June 30, 2026, when the Delta State House of Assembly declared Egbetamah’s seat vacant following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) . Omo-Agege argues the removal was conducted in a “single sitting” by voice vote, without notice, and without allowing Egbetamah to invoke constitutional exceptions for party division .

‘Political Persecution’ Alleged

Omo-Agege’s statement painted a grim picture of sustained victimization, alleging that Egbetamah had been subjected to two years of “deliberate punishment” before his eventual ouster. “No salary, no allowances, no constituency project funds. His crime? Loyalty. He refused to betray the APC when it was politically convenient to do so,” the statement read .

The response directly challenges the legal basis of the removal. While the Assembly relies on Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution, which mandates seat vacany upon defection, Omo-Agege points to Section 36, guaranteeing the right to a fair hearing. “If this was truly settled constitutional law, why the single sitting? Why the voice vote? Why no prior notice?” the statement queried, demanding that the Governor identify any specific inaccuracies in the video .

The ₦3 Trillion Question

Shifting focus to fiscal accountability, Omo-Agege’s camp took a swipe at the Governor’s development record, noting that Delta State has received over ₦3 trillion in federal allocations during Oborevwori’s tenure .

“The roads, bridges, and dialysis machines funded by three trillion naira aren’t acts of generosity; they’re the bare minimum we should expect,” the statement declared . The former Deputy Senate President called for a “thorough breakdown” of the expenditure, challenging the administration’s claims of infrastructural achievement in the face of what he described as a constitutional crisis .

This comes amid revelations that Delta State recorded the highest FAAC allocation in Nigeria for 2025, receiving ₦649.67 billion . The state’s 2026 budget stands at a record ₦1.729 trillion .

Defiance and Legal Recourse

Senator Omo-Agege dismissed the Governor’s political warning about the potential cost of his stance in the 2027 elections, pointing to his own survival of a previous unconstitutional removal attempt. “He does not calculate the political cost of speaking up for people whose constitutional rights have been violated,” the statement emphasized .

“We will not withdraw the video. We will not apologize,” Omo-Agege affirmed, signaling that the matter will be resolved in court. “Udu is not a conquered territory. Its mandate is sacred. And Senator Ovie Omo-Agege will not be bullied into abandoning its people” .