APC Congress: Urhobo Leaders Petition Delta APC Leadership Over Alleged Attempt To Impose Party Chairman In Warri South

 

Leaders of the Urhobo bloc of the All Progressives Congress in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have petitioned the Delta State leadership of the party over what they described as an alleged attempt to impose a chairman on the area.

 

In a petition dated February 17, 2026, the Urhobo APC leaders rejected the purported emergence of Hon. Richard Pessu as Warri South APC Chairman, insisting that due process was not followed.

 

Warri South, a multi-ethnic local government dominated by the Urhobo and Itsekiri blocs, has witnessed what the petitioners described as a longstanding imbalance in party leadership.

 

According to the letter, since 1998, the Itsekiri bloc has consistently produced both the Local Government Council Chairman and the APC Party Chairman, to the exclusion of the Urhobo bloc.

 

The Urhobo leaders stated that they had earlier written to the party leadership on January 27, 2026, demanding that the chairmanship position be ceded to the Urhobo bloc in the spirit of fairness, equity and inclusiveness.

 

They alleged that during a meeting of Warri South APC leaders held on February 14, 2026, to deliberate on ward and local government congresses, the Council Chairman presided over proceedings instead of the Party Chairman, contrary to party guidelines.

 

The petitioners claimed that the meeting ended without resolution and that an 11-man committee was set up to address issues arising from the ward congress process.

 

However, they alleged that on February 16, 2026, during the committee’s deliberations, the Council Chairman unilaterally announced Hon. Richard Pessu as the new party chairman, despite what they described as the absence of consensus and a properly constituted consultative congress.

READ FULL LETTER BELOW:

 

WARRI URHOBO APC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

No. 56 Warri/Sapele Road, Warri, Delta State

 

17th February, 2026

 

The Chairman,

All Progressives Congress (APC),

Delta State.

Dear Sir,

PETITION ON IRREGULARITIES IN THE WARRI SOUTH APC CONGRESS CONSULTATION PROCESS AGAINST MARIO OWUMI AND WEYINMI AGBATEYINIRO

We write to formally bring to your attention serious concerns regarding the ongoing congress process in Warri South Local Government Area and to clarify our position as APC leaders of the Urhobo bloc within the party.

Warri South Local Government Area is a multi-ethnic, with two major political blocs—Urhobo and Itsekiri. Since 1998, the Itsekiri bloc has consistently produced both the Local Government Council Chairman and the Party Chairman, to the exclusion of the Urhobo bloc. Individuals who have held the party chairmanship include, Meyiwa Erewa, Amah Agbajoh, Johnson Agbeyegbe, Richard Pessu, Valentine Egbe and Mario Owumi.

In view of this long-standing imbalance, Urhobo APC leaders wrote a letter dated 27th January 2026 to your office, agitating for the position of Warri South Local Government Party Chairman in the spirit of fairness, equity, and inclusiveness.

Subsequently, a meeting of Warri South APC leaders was convened on 14th February 2026 at the instance of the Local Government Party Chairman, with the agenda focused on the Ward and Local Government Congresses. Surprisingly and contrary to party guidelines, the Council Chairman was the one who presided over the meeting, while the Party Chairman sat aside. The atmosphere of the meeting was characterized by undue interference, threats, and intimidation.

During the meeting, Urhobo leaders clearly presented their demand, supported by cogent arguments and references. The meeting ended unresolved and was adjourned to reconvene on a later date.  An eleven-man committee was thereafter constituted to address issues arising from the Ward Congress Process only.

However, on the third day of the Ward Congress Process Committee meeting, precisely on 16th February 2026, the Council Chairman who constitute the Committee and named Mr. Mario Owumi the Chairman of the Committee later  hijacked the process and deviated from the ward-related matters under consideration and unilaterally announced that he had selected Hon. Richard Pessu as the new Party Chairman. This declaration was made without addressing the agitation of the Urhobo bloc and despite the fact that the Local Government Consultative congress meeting of 14th February, had ended unresolved.

We consider it highly irregular that:

1. The Council Chairman presided over party meetings in place of the Party Chairman.
2. Meetings were moved to the Council Chairman’s official residence without proper consultations with Party Leaders.
3. Attendance at meetings was subject to the approval of the Council Chairman, regardless of leadership status.
4. A candidate was purportedly announced by the Council Chairman as the new APC Chairman without holding the required proper consultative meeting of APC Leaders in Warri South Local Government Area despite the absence of consensus and the unresolved status of the congress meeting.

For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did Urhobo APC leaders agree to concede the Party Chairmanship to the Itsekiri bloc.

There was no consensus, and no validly conducted Local Government Congress Consultative meeting that have agreed on the person of Hon. Richard Pessu as Chairman.

 

We therefore respectfully urge you to:

1. Disregard any LGA APC Party Executive list or outcome purportedly emanating from Warri South Council Chairman and APC Warri South Chairman “Mario Owumi and Weyinmi Agbeteyiniro, as such did not emerge from a lawful and consensual process.
2. Direct the convening of a genuine and properly constituted Warri South APC leadership meeting.
3. Ensure that the process going forward reflects justice, equity, fairness, peace, and peaceful coexistence among all blocs.

We remain committed members of our great party and trust in your leadership to uphold internal democracy and fairness.

Thank you for your anticipated prompt attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Signed:

For and on behalf of Warri  Urhobo APC Leaders Warri South Local Government Area

________________________

1. Olorogun Bernard Okumagba

Chairman

2. Chief Benson Obire

Vice Chairman

3. Chief Vincent Okudolor, JP

Secretary

 

4. Mark Ikpuri

 

5. Olorogun Victor Okumagba, JP.

 

6. Chief (Dr.) Westham Adehor, JP.

 

7. Chief Isaac Emifoniye, JP.

 

8. Chief Peter Agiri, JP.

 

9. Chief Ann Gagiyovwin, JP.