The Director-General of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority, Benjamin Essien Okiemute, has appealed to former Delta State House of Assembly member Michael Diden, popularly known as Ejele, to drop his court challenge against Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas’s APC candidacy for Delta South Senatorial District.
Okiemute said the matter should be resolved through the party’s internal mechanisms instead of the courts. He argued that reconciliation would help protect unity within the All Progressives Congress as it prepares for the 2027 general election.
He stressed that party members should put the larger interest of the APC ahead of individual political ambitions. According to him, internal peace remains vital to the party’s stability and its chances of success in Delta State.
The APC chieftain, who hails from Isoko South Local Government Area, also said the Delta South senatorial seat should remain in Isoko for another term. He maintained that Senator Joel-Onowakpo should be allowed to complete two terms in office in the interest of fairness, balance and political continuity.
“For the sake of peace, unity and togetherness, Hon. Michael Diden should consider withdrawing the case and support Senator Joel-Onowakpo’s second-term bid,” he said.
Okiemute added that the Itsekiri ethnic group should be considered for the seat in 2031. He argued that a second term for Joel-Onowakpo would allow him to consolidate ongoing projects and legislative efforts for the benefit of the district.
He said sustained representation would strengthen development in Delta South and improve the APC’s electoral outlook. Okiemute also urged party leaders and stakeholders to close ranks, warning that prolonged internal conflict could weaken the party ahead of the next election.
He noted that he had served as Deputy Director-General of the Joel-Onowakpo Campaign Organisation during the 2023 general election.