Victor Ochei, president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, says he will answer calls to run for the Delta North Senatorial seat when the time is right. The former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly made the announcement on AriseNews' Global Sports Programme over the weekend, acknowledging that constituents and political figures have been pushing him to enter the race.
Ochei framed the pressure as a vote of confidence in his leadership. "There have been calls from the people for me to run for the Delta North Senatorial seat, and at the appropriate time, I will respond accordingly," he said. He did not specify when that appropriate time might come or whether he has made a final decision.
The NTF president insists that any future political move will not pull him away from his current role in sports administration. He stressed that politics and sports development work together, not against each other. "My love for tennis and the growth of sports remains unwavering. Politics and sports development are not mutually exclusive. I have always used every platform available to empower young people and promote excellence," Ochei said.
His track record backs up the claim. As a lawmaker in Delta State, Ochei invested in youth development through various sporting schemes. He personally sponsored wheelchair basketball athletes to compete domestically and helped fund teams and individuals heading to international competitions in countries including Algeria, South Africa, Germany and Brazil. He also established an annual Village Unity Cup, a grassroots tournament he uses to build peace and engage young people in his community.
More recently, Ochei created a stadium and sports development centre in his area where young athletes can be spotted, trained and developed to professional level. These moves suggest that even if he contests the senatorial seat, his interest in sports will likely remain a focus of his political agenda. What Ochei does next depends on a decision he says will come in due course.
