Dominic Adewole 
The political class in Delta State have started to mount pressure on former Governor James Onanefe Ibori, to formerly defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The pressure became intensed shortly after the incumbent Governor of the state, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, alongside his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, officially declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ pursuit and defected to APC to work with him.
The pressure assumed a new dimension after Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Cenotaph in Asaba four days ago paid glowing tribute to Ibori, who was conspicuously absent at the official reception of Oborevwori, Okowa and the entire PDP structure, and urged the Governor to pay attention to two of his friends, namely, Ibori and the former Deputy Senate President, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege.
Ibori,.who is believed to President Tinubu’s ally, had not been attending political functions in the state for over eight years, owing to the backlashes he received, especially over his involvement in the intrigues surrounding the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Ibori’s closeness to the Presidency was linked to the ceding of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to his men – Mr Chiedu Ebie and Rt Hon Monday Igbuya, even when they had not defected to APC.
A top government functionary (names withheld) in Asaba yesterday said Govenor Oborevwori, in collaboration with Okowa, has swung into action, in a desperate bid to woo the former helmsman into APC.
