Questions emerge over document dated May 5 and publicly reported resignation letter of May 22
Questions have emerged over two purported resignation documents linked to former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, following claims that a document submitted to the Federal High Court in Effurun, Delta State, bears the date May 5, 2026, while the resignation letter widely reported by the media is dated May 22, 2026.
The discrepancy has drawn attention because Omo-Agege participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta Central senatorial primary on May 18, 2026, and subsequently disputed the outcome, claiming victory despite the party declaring Senator Ede Dafinone the winner. The central question is whether the two documents refer to the same resignation and, if so, when the decision to leave the APC was formally communicated to the party.
Key Highlights
- A document reportedly submitted to the Federal High Court in Effurun is said to bear the date May 5, 2026.
- The APC resignation letter widely reported by Nigerian media is dated May 22, 2026.
- Omo-Agege participated in the APC Delta Central senatorial primary on May 18, 2026.
- The APC declared Ede Dafinone the winner, with 116,252 votes against Omo-Agege’s 3,643, according to published reports.
- Omo-Agege later joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and declared his intention to contest the Delta Central senatorial seat in 2027.
- The authenticity, purpose and relationship between the two purported documents require clarification.
May 5 Document Raises Questions
The document reportedly submitted to the Federal High Court in Effurun, according to information provided to The Trumpet, bears the date May 5, 2026.
If authenticated and established to be a resignation letter, that date would place the document 13 days before the APC Delta Central senatorial primary held on May 18.
This raises questions about the timing of Omo-Agege’s alleged decision to leave the APC, his subsequent participation in the primary and the circumstances under which the document was prepared or submitted.
However, the document’s date alone does not establish when it was delivered to the party, whether the party acknowledged receipt or whether it was intended to take immediate effect.
The Trumpet has not independently established the document’s authenticity, its complete contents or the circumstances surrounding its submission to the court. Those details are necessary before any conclusion can be drawn about its legal or political significance.
May 22 Resignation Letter Widely Reported
Major Nigerian media organisations reported Omo-Agege’s resignation from the APC on May 27, 2026, citing a letter dated May 22 and addressed to the chairman of APC Orogun Ward 2 in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
In the letter, Omo-Agege said his decision followed consultations with political associates and supporters, as well as an assessment of developments within the APC in Delta State.
“I will not remain a sitting duck in a party where I cannot advance the interests of Delta Central, Delta State and Nigeria,” he said.
He thanked the party for the opportunity to serve as Deputy President of the Ninth Senate between 2019 and 2023 and requested that his name be removed from the APC’s membership records and communication lists.
His media adviser, Sunday Areh, confirmed the resignation.
Reports by TheCable, Premium Times and other national newspapers consistently identified May 22 as the date of the resignation letter publicly announced in late May. None of those reports, by themselves, establishes the authenticity or purpose of the separate document reportedly dated May 5.
APC Primary Took Place Between the Two Dates
The timeline is central to the questions surrounding the documents.
The APC conducted its Delta Central senatorial primary on May 18, 2026, eight days before the publicly reported announcement of Omo-Agege’s resignation and four days before the date on the May 22 letter.
According to results announced by the APC primary election committee, Dafinone secured 116,252 votes, while Omo-Agege polled 3,643 votes.
Omo-Agege rejected the declared outcome and claimed victory, despite the party’s official declaration in favour of Dafinone.
The alleged May 5 document introduces a separate question. If it was indeed a resignation letter written and properly communicated to the APC before the primary, what was the status of Omo-Agege’s party membership when he participated in the exercise?
Answering that question requires more than comparing dates. Investigators, party officials or a court would need to examine the original document, its recipient, proof of delivery, any acknowledgement of receipt and the applicable party rules.
It would also be necessary to establish whether the May 5 document was a final resignation, a draft, a document prepared for another purpose or a record whose date has been misunderstood.
Omo-Agege Later Joined NDC
On May 28, 2026, Omo-Agege announced that he had joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress and declared his intention to contest the Delta Central senatorial seat in the 2027 general election.
In announcing the move, he presented the NDC as the platform through which he intended to pursue his political objectives and represent the interests of his constituents.
The move followed his resignation announcement and the disputed APC primary.
The sequence has since raised questions about the timing of his departure from the APC and the records of his membership in the NDC. Those questions should be examined separately from the authenticity of the two purported resignation documents.
Read also:
- Omo-Agege Insists 2027 Senate Bid Is Alive as INEC Ruling Sparks Membership Register Dispute
- Omo-Agege risks disqualification over alleged dual party membership, primary participation dispute
- Breaking: Omo-Agege dumps APC, says party no longer serves Delta interests
Membership Register Dispute Adds Another Dimension
The controversy also touches on requirements governing political party membership registers and candidate eligibility ahead of the 2027 elections.
The key issues include when Omo-Agege became a member of the NDC, whether his name appeared on the relevant membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and how the applicable electoral law and party rules affect his candidacy.
These issues cannot be settled by the dates on the purported resignation letters alone. The relevant membership records, filing dates and any applicable judicial decisions would need to be examined.
Likewise, the existence of two documents with different dates would not, without further evidence, establish forgery, dual membership or an attempt to circumvent electoral rules.
Questions Omo-Agege, APC Officials Should Clarify
The apparent discrepancy raises several questions that could help establish the facts surrounding the resignation.
- Is the document reportedly submitted to the Federal High Court in Effurun an original resignation letter, and who submitted it?
- Why does that document reportedly bear the date May 5, while the resignation letter publicly reported by the media is dated May 22?
- Was the May 5 document delivered to the APC ward chairman or another authorised party official, and is there evidence of receipt?
- If the earlier document was a formal resignation, what was the basis for Omo-Agege’s participation in the APC primary on May 18?
- What records establish the date on which Omo-Agege joined the NDC and whether his membership complied with the applicable requirements?
Responses from Omo-Agege, his media adviser, the APC and the relevant court authorities would be important in resolving these questions.
Document Verification Is Key to Resolving Controversy
The available media reports establish that Omo-Agege publicly announced his APC resignation in late May through a letter dated May 22, following the party’s senatorial primary.
The separate document reportedly dated May 5 introduces a potentially significant discrepancy, but its legal and political implications remain uncertain without verification of its contents, origin and delivery.
The distinction matters because the date a document is written may differ from the date it is delivered, acknowledged or takes legal effect.
Until the original documents and relevant records are examined, it would be premature to conclude that either letter was fabricated or that Omo-Agege breached any party or electoral rule.
The immediate task is to establish whether the two documents are genuine, what each was intended to communicate and when the APC was formally notified of Omo-Agege’s departure.
Those answers could help clarify the timeline behind his exit from the APC, his participation in the May 18 primary and his subsequent move to the NDC ahead of the 2027 elections.
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