By Jesuovie Tekevwe
ABRAKA-THE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, at the just concluded March 18, gubernatorial elections in Delta state, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, has revealed why he left the All Progressives Congress, APC and his unreserved support for the governor-elect, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
Ogboru who made this revelation while briefing journalists during his 65 years birthday in Abraka, Ethiope East local Government Area of Delta state, disclosed that he will not be contesting the 2027 governorship election but would support Sheriff Oborevwori for second tenure.
According to him on why he left the APC for APGA, said, “I have brother who came from the opposing party to join us, and swore that all the evils and atrocities that his party has done against us will never repeat itself again.
“We believed him, we worked with him, we gave him a ticket free of charge, we supported him financially for his election, we gave him our votes and he became a senator.
And he wanted a second term, we put everything behind him to ensure he becomes a ranking senator,after then he felt that we were not good enough that he could do better.
“He came out and took the structure of the APC which we were at that time.”
Denying the allegations that he was bought by the PDP during the election, Ogboru said, “If anybody was making that insinuation, they are wrong, when we went to the elections the PDP approached us, that we should step down and i said no, it should be your candidate should step down and endorse me.
“After few week, we met with the state governor and in that meeting we agreed that one of us should win that election and that if Sheriff won, Great Ogboru that won and if Great Ogboru won, it is Sheriff that won.
“So to that extent, i have to congratulates him and be part of the celebration, but in any case it was not pre-planned because it was not to be so, and without any apology we have to congratulate him because we did not win that election.
“The issues of apathy, violence, voters inducement and intimidation are not issues to be adjudicate upon in the court, these are reality, and if you are not able to change it because the law did not permit you to do so, you must accept the outcome.
“There are no contradiction to the facts that the elections were marred with shortcoming but it did not take the fact that somebody won the election as it were.We accept that report
“I took a personal decision to support what was right and thank God members of my team believed that the decision was a right decision to take
“We stand by our own judgement, confirmation that Sheriff Oborevwori won the election properly and would be working by it and will give the necessary support and impetus to become a successful governor in Delta State.
“I want to use this opportunity to say in 2027, Great Ovedje Ogboru will not be in the ballot for governor. That is not to say i am quiting politics.” He stated.
