On Monday, April 28, 2025, when the governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, led the entire membership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, a former governor of the state, who handed over to Senator Okowa was conspicuously absent.
Many Deltans, particularly keen political watchers of recent political developments in Delta, were taken aback by the Itsekiri-born former governor’s absence at the event, which took place at the Cenotaph, Asaba, the state’s headquarters.
Thereafter several speculations emerged suggesting why Dr Uduaghan probably stayed away from the unprecedented and political turning point in the oil-rich Niger Delta State.
While tongues were still wagging over the development, on Thursday, May 1, 2025, just three days after the massive defection, Governor Oborevwori visited Dr Uduaghan at his GRA residence in Warri.
The governor’s visit, which Wale Nice termed a solidarity visit in a post on his official Facebook page on Thursday night, also comes a day after the burial of legal luminary Professor Amos Utuama, who served as deputy governor to Dr Uduaghan for eight years of two tenures.
Wale Nice, in his post, said, “Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori paid a solidarity visit to former Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who recently recovered from a health challenge.”
His post in full below:
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori Pays Solidarity Visit to Former Governor Uduaghan
The Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori paid a solidarity visit to former Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who recently recovered from a health challenge.
The visit, which took place at Dr. Uduaghan’s residence, was a show of goodwill and unity as Governor Oborevwori expressed happiness over his predecessor’s recovery.
