Yahaya Idris in Asaba
The National Secretary of the Nigerian Hotels Association (NHA), Prince Amos Uyo, has attributed the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s victory in the recent Udu State Constituency House of Assembly by-election in Delta State to the expansion of the party’s grassroots structure following the movement of prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) politicians into the APC
Uyo, who is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Page Five Logistics Nigeria Limited and Page Five Hotels and Suites, stated this during an interview on Press Centre, a programme on DOTT TV.
The Ozoro-born businessman and politician said the political realignment had brought former PDP structures into the APC and consequently expanded the ruling party’s grassroots network across the state.
According to him, the development contributed to the wide margin recorded by APC candidate Okolosi Ator in the Udu by-election.
Ator won the September 19, 2026, Udu State Constituency by-election with 8,724 votes, while the PDP candidate polled 214 votes, according to reports of the declared result.
Uyo said the result demonstrated the impact of grassroots mobilisation, while also crediting the leadership style of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, with contributing to political cohesion within the party.
“Now PDP and APC have come together. The grassroots strength of the party has increased. You now have a lot of strength at the grassroots level, and that is the result of the great winning margin of APC that we saw in the just-concluded election,” Uyo said.
Uyo Cautions Against 2027 Comparisons
Despite the wide margin in Udu, Uyo cautioned against interpreting the by-election result as an automatic indication of the outcome of the 2027 general elections
He noted that a constituency by-election and a nationwide general election have different political dynamics, electorate sizes and campaign structures.
Uyo said the APC had also been strengthening its position through grassroots mobilisation and membership registration, arguing that parties without effective structures at the polling-unit level could face difficulties during elections.
“Elections are won and lost at the polling unit,” he said.
PDP Crisis
The NHA secretary also discussed the challenges confronting the PDP, recalling his participation as a delegate to the party in 2022.
He argued that internal party politics based on a “winner takes all” approach could undermine cohesion and called for compromise and accommodation among political stakeholders.
On the “Rainbow Coalition” associated with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Uyo described the political arrangement as an interest-driven alliance aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
He added that political actors were already considering calculations beyond 2027, including the 2031 political cycle.
Uyo, however, urged politicians to place governance and development above continuous political calculations.
Youths, Political Violence
The businessman also expressed concern about political apathy among young Nigerians, particularly those who participated actively in the 2023 elections but later became discouraged by experiences surrounding voter registration and the electoral process.
He called for measures capable of restoring confidence in democratic participation.
On political violence, Uyo urged young Nigerians to acquire skills and pursue legitimate economic opportunities rather than allowing themselves to be recruited for political violence.
He recalled that he began his working life in Asaba as a kitchen attendant at Oma Guest House in 2007, earning N4,800 as his first salary.
According to him, his experience demonstrated that young people could build sustainable careers through legitimate work.
“If you have something meaningful, a skill, or something meaningful doing, you will not allow a politician to come and offer you N2,000 or N3,000 to become a thug,” he said.