SHERIFF OBOREVWORI: Garlands for an Underestimated Governor

Some persons in Delta State are yet to come to terms on how Sheriff Oborevwori emerged as Governor of Delta State. While some others believe it is by divine orchestration, majority believe it was by deft political engineering.

DELTA FRESH VISION has noted that over the years, it had become customary that for someone to become Governor in Delta State he must have undergone executive tutelage as a Commissioner and SSG. At a point it was felt the college of SSG is a training ground for future governors of Delta State. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa both passed through this route to become Governor.

It is somewhat a miracle that Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori was the first Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly to become the Governor of the State, against established political traditions.

Before him no one thought it was a possibility and there was no convention to contemplate its possibility. But it happened.

Beyond the facade, we must recall that Sheriff Oborevwori became Speaker as a first time legislator in the midst of several ranking Legislators on the 11th May, 2017. Although he was not the pioneer first time Legislator to become a Speaker; Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya owns that distinction, Sheriff Oborevwori was however, the first Speaker to transmute from one administration to another. He served two years in Dr. Okowa’s first term and also served as Speaker throughout Dr. Okowa’s second term, making him the longest serving Speaker in the history of Delta State.

In spite of the high turn over of Speakers in Delta State it was a rare feat for Oborevwori to have survived speakership for 6 years, in the midst of Legislators who were ever ready to “devour” any Speaker that does not carry them along. It speaks volumes of Oborevwori’s team spirit which he carried effortlessly to the Executive.

Upon resumption as Governor on the 29th of May, 2023, not a few Deltans thought that Sheriff Oborevwori was going to learn on the job. Some others did not give him a chance of high performance. Some who described Oborevwori with the epithet of “Street credibility” even did so as a euphemism for lack of Governorship experience.

18 months down the line, Governor Oborevwori has proved all skeptics wrong.

One early imprimatur of Oborevwori’s bold venture was his decision to engage the construction giant, Julius Berger to construct three bridges, Cloverleaf and road expansion projects in Warri/Effurun metropolis at an ambitious cost of N78Billion Naira. It was the first time any Governor of Delta State would use Julius Berger for construction job in the State. It signaled his administration’s resolve to admit only quality jobs as a testament of his ingenious M.O.R.E Agenda.

This singular decision flustered the APC and some of Oborevwori’s most vitriolic political opponents.

Some apologists even pooh poohed the Julius Berger projects, predicting that it would not see the light of day. Today, a visit to Warri and Effurun construction sites by Julius Berger would reveal a sprawling evidence of architectural wonder, far away from the staleness of the oil city to a glistering spectacle of beauty and resplendence.

Governor Oborevwori also made it clearly, in the early months of his administration that Delta State was not going to be an abode for shoddy jobs that does not conform with government’s specifications. He proclaimed a zero tolerance for cutting of corners, thereby setting the template for projects that would stand the test of time.

One other area that has confounded endemic skeptics and professional critics is Oborevwori’s resolve to run a government without borrowing. As ambitious as the 2025 State budget of N979 Billion there is no budget deficit, meaning that the budget will be financed from the Federation Accounts receipts as well as the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)

No wonder that Delta State under Governor Oborevwori’s watch, has been rated among top 10 State’s in the 2024 Governance Accountability and Transparency Index (G.A.T.I) by the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers (G.O.M.E.P), Nigeria.

Many Deltans do not know that Governor Oborevwori has taken it as a deliberate policy to save a percentage of all monies received from the Federation Account and IGR, which he plans to bequeath to his successor in years to come as a financial legacy.

We have a Governor who is not profligate in spending. His judicious use of State resources has become so palpable that even the blind can see it, the deaf can hear it and the lame can walk it.

Governor Oborevwori is prepared to put the State resources to judicious use for the development of Delta State and the upliftment of the living standards of Deltans and especially to take Delta youths and women off the streets through the establishment of empowerment schemes like D-CARES and MORE GRANT SCHEME and the WESAP.

As far as government business is concerned even the most inveterate cynic knows that it is not business as usual.

The plugging of areas of waste and leakages have become the hallmark of the Oborevwori administration.

The character of the Oborevwori administration can be gleaned by the decision of the Governor to do an infrastructure allocation of N2 Billion for each of the 25 Local Government Areas in the State in the 2025 State budget. This is a reflection of equity and fairness in the distribution of projects across the State.

Governor Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E Agenda is not just a slogan; it is a testament to strategic planning, disciplined resource management and a deep commitment to the well being of every citizen. Through his prudent and people-centered leadership Oborevwori has defined what it means to manage State resources responsibly and transparently.

Deltans are now beginning to understand the meaning of the promise: “I am going to be a governor for all Deltans”.

The M.O.R.E agenda has taken roots just as the ship of State is on course, with its compass set in the right direction.

The opposition has been brought to its knees through good governance. By a policy of total inclusiveness, the Oborevwori administration has shown that the PDP umbrella is big enough to accommodate all Deltans one way or the other.

Flowing from the above, DELTA FRESH VISION enjoins every Deltan in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to join hands with the Delta State Government to move the State forward. Politics is over for now and Governor has so far offered an olive branch to the opposition to help steer the ship of State to safe shores. Delta State belongs to all of us and no one should pull it down in the name of Politics.

Long live Delta State!

Long live Nigeria!!

Fred Akpewe, Chairman.

Wilberforce Arinze, Secretary.

Grace Akaighe, Publicity Secretary.