By Victor Lewis
Sen Dafinone declaring his interest
If you call it Delta Central APC Senatorial “primary before primary” or the “mother of all Senatorial declaration”, you are definitely not wrong because what took place in Oharisi Primary School in Ughelli this afternoon when the incumbent Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Distinguished Senator Ede Dafinone declared his interest to run for a second term was nothing short of a strategic prelude to the upcoming APC primary.
Distinguished Senator Ede Dafinone had chosen to declare his intention to contest the Senatorial seat of Delta Central after what he called “a wide consultation”. It’s very obvious that the Distinguised Senator was overwhelmed with the turnout of Urhobo people at the Oharisi Primary School playground today who thronged the venue to express their support.
Visibly present at the podium were the House of Reps member representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South, Udu Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Barr Arthur Akpowowo, APC chairman for Delta Central, Chief P. O. Akpeki, strongly speculated Senatorial aspirant, Chief Ighoyota Amori, Rt. Hon. John Halims Agoda, Founding Leader of Delta State APC, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, all eight Local Government Council Chairmen in Delta Central led by Olorogun Barr. Jaro Egbo, and all APC party chairmen in Delta Central were present the Mother of All Declaration.
Other political personalities present include Chief John Oguma, Prof. Chief Ibodje, Olorogun Barr. Adelabu Bodjor, representative of the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo SAN, amongst other chieftains of the party.
While thanking profoundly the people of Delta Central for the first term opportunity given to him, Senator Ede Dafinone reeled out a catalogue of strategic constituency projects he attracted from the federal level which were completed in the past three years.
The Senator however offered himself to the Urhobo people to be sent to the Senate for a second time, adding that there is so much for the people to benefit if he goes back to the Senate as a ranking Senator.
The high flying Senator whose meteoric rise even recently culminated into his elevation to the position of the chairman of Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission and Inter-governmental Affairs, disclosed that his effort towards the revitalization of the Sapele Sea Port, the extension of the Ujewu-Itakpe rail line to Abuja and the regular intervention in the Effurun/Sapele/Benin road including provision of electricity transformers and building ICT Centres in some schools were some of his remarkable projects.
“I’m humbled, completely humbled by the massive turnout of supporters and leaders here today of our great party.
“From my effort at the revitalization of the Sapele Sea Port to the to the extension of the Unewu-Itakpe rail line to Abuja, sustained intervention in the Effurun/Sapele/Benin Road, our focus remains clear.: creating opportunities and positioning Delta Central as economic hub.
“We have electrified communities with transformers, built and equipped schools with ICT Centres from Urhobo College to Abraka Grammar School and the massive medical outreach treating life-threatening diseases; from sponsoring bills for the establishment of Federal Universities of Education, Isiokolo and Orerokpe and intervention in the unfortunate Okuama crisis which culminated into the release of the king of Ewu. Our representation has been consistent and visible.
“In the past three years, our work has been guided by one clear objective: to position Delta Central for sustainable growth and opportunities.”
Dafinone also used the occasion to commend the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, adding that their policies have brought massive reforms both at national and state levels.
“Our governor with myself, we are positioned to ensure Delta Central remains at the forefront of national consultation and comprehensive rehabilitation of all roads within the state, we must consolidate this advantage for the benefit of Urhobo nation and Urhobo nation.
On his vision for 2027, Senator Dafinone disclosed that “looking ahead with a renewed mandate, my focus will be clearly on deepening economic opportunities and enterprise development, expanding youth empowerment and job creation, advancing strategic infrastructure, strengthening education and human capacity and sustaining people representation”.
Addressing the mammoth crowd of APC supporters, a speculated Senate aspirant, Chief Ighoyota Amori described the event as very unique, thanking the Urhobo nation for doing the party proud, just as he said that “we are ready for 2027”.
“I speak on behalf of Ethiope West and Ethiope East, that is the Ethiope Federal Constituency, which I’m privileged to lead today, we are here to our amiable Senator, Senator Ede Dafinone should return for a second tenure.
“We are saying this today because there is nobody from Ethiope West or Ethiope East who is contesting for Senate. We have agreed that our Senator is doing very well, and as such our Senator should go back.
“Only recently Ede was elevated to the position of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs. That position is going to benefit Urhobo nation and I believe Ede will leave up to expectation.
“We have no doubt in our mind, Senator Ede Dafinone is our man. When it comes to the primary, if it is by consensus, we will consensus Ede, if it is by direct primary, we will Direct-Primary Ede”, Chief Amori said.
Other chieftains of the party who expressed support for Senator Ede Dafinone’s declared interest for the Senate in 2026 include APC Woman leader, Dr. Chief Oyubu, Olorogun Barr. Jaro Egbo and several others.
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