Ibori (left) shakes hands with Oborevwori in church | Photo: News Guru
Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta state, says he is looking forward to welcoming James Ibori, a former governor of the state, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) fold.
On April 23, Oborevwori and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs in Delta state, defected to the APC.
Oborevwori spoke on Tuesday during a vigil mass at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Otu-Jeremi, in Ughelli South LGA, held in honour of Amos Utuama, former deputy governor of Delta.
Utuama, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), died aged 77. He served as deputy governor of the state between May 2007 and May 2015.
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“We can only say the truth. If you are sentimental, the family will break, the centre cannot hold,” Oborevwori said.
“I didn’t want to speak here, but our bishop said ‘speak, so people will hear’.
“So that when our leader leaves here and goes home, you will see your (political) family, today is scattered, and when you go to Abuja, you won’t speak in different voices.
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“You are speaking here, other people are speaking here, so you will sleep well. It is now the time for you to lead us well.
“You know, you must talk to your elders and seek counsel from the elders.
“When you are leading your children, some are in APC, some are in Labour Party, some are here, and I asked him (Ibori), ‘when is he going to join us?’ And I know he will join us very soon in APC. I will receive our leader in Jesus name.”
Addressing Ibori, the governor said: “You have created a big family, and the family needs to be united.”
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In December 2024, Erhriatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of the former governor and house of representatives member, defected from the PDP to the APC.
On Sunday, Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, announced that the APC structure in Delta is now fully under Oborevwori’s control.
