Tag: oborevwori

  • PDP move to recover mandates from Oborevwori, other defectors in Delta

    PDP move to recover mandates from Oborevwori, other defectors in Delta

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its National Legal Adviser to initiate legal proceedings aimed at reclaiming the party’s mandate from Delta Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori for defection.

    Others whose mandates are also to be reclaimed are lawmakers, and other elected officials who recently defected along with Oborevwori to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing following the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held in Abuja.

    Damagum disclosed that the NWC had also mandated the Emmanuel Ogidi-led South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee to assume control of the party structure in Delta, pending the constitution of a state caretaker committee.

    NAN reports that Oborevwori, along with former Vice Presidential Candidate Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and several elected PDP officials in Delta, announced their defection to the APC on April 25.

    “We have instructed the zonal caretaker committee to take charge of Delta after dissolving all existing structures, as most of their members have defected,” Damagum stated.

    “A caretaker committee will be constituted shortly.

    “We’ve also directed the National Legal Adviser to initiate legal steps to recover our mandates.

    “According to the Electoral Act, any elected official who defects automatically relinquishes the office they occupy.”

    Damagum further announced that the NWC had approved zonal congresses for the South-West, North-East, and South-East regions.

    He additionally announced that a caretaker committee had been approved for the North Central zone pending upcoming elections.

    He said the NWC deliberated on a wide range of internal party matters and adopted key recommendations made by the PDP Governors’ Forum at its recent meeting in Ibadan.

    Among the resolutions adopted were the scheduling of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for May 27 and the national convention from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, subject to NEC approval.

    Speaking on the wave of defections, Damagum urged party members not to be discouraged.

    “Yes, they [APC] may coerce or intimidate our members into defecting, but we are confident the Nigerian people will respond appropriately when the time comes.

    “It has happened before, and it will happen again,” he said.

    He dismissed claims of internal crisis within the NWC, stating, “There is no crisis.

    “If someone wants an excuse to justify their betrayal, they might claim there is a crisis. But the PDP remains intact and will continue to thrive.”

    Damagum assured that preparations for the national convention to usher in new executives were already underway and stressed the party’s resilience.

    “We may face challenges, but we’ve always resolved them internally. No amount of intimidation or mischief can bring this party down.

    “The PDP has survived many attempts in the past—this one is child’s play,” he added.

    Ogidi affirmed the zonal committee’s readiness to execute its assignment in Delta.

    “Our mandate is to take stock of the party’s current standing in Delta, reassure our members, and restore confidence.

    “We will also recommend members for the state caretaker committee to the NWC,” he said.

    Ogidi reiterated that the party leadership in Bayelsa remained under Solomon Agwanana’s State Working Committee (SWC), “while Tony Aziegbemi continues to serve as chairman in Edo.”

  • Oborevwori’s defection to APC, a tsunami of unimaginable proportion – Shettima

    Oborevwori’s defection to APC, a tsunami of unimaginable proportion – Shettima

    Vice-President Kashim Shettima says the defection of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori Delta and thousands of his supporters into the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a political tsunami of unimaginable proportion.

    Shettima said this on Monday in Asaba when he formally received Oborevwori, former Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and their supporters into the party’s fold.

    The vice-president said, ” This is a  political tsunami of an unimaginable proportion that has never happened in the history of the South-South sub region.”

    He told the new members who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC that they were now co-owners of the governing party and not guests.

    The vice-president described the occasion as a testimony to the enduring promise of the APC.

    Shettima, who stressed the need for unity and collaboration, emphasised that the new members were joining as equals in the ruling party.

    “You are not guests in this house; you are now co-owners. This is now as much your party as it is ours,” Shettima said, describing the new APC entrants as giants in Nigerian politics.

    He highlighted the significance of their decision to join the APC, saying, “the true measure of a political party lies not merely in the enthusiasm of its members.

    ” But in the conviction it inspires among those who once stood across from them.”

    Shettima stated that they were joining the party not as defectors but as brothers and sisters who have found their rightful place among” the APC faithful.

    He maintained that they were joining the governing party not as guests but as a family and as fellow architects of a better Nigeria.

    Shettima explained the APC’s philosophy of governance and party politics, saying,  “what sets the APC apart is not an illusion of uniformity.

    “It is our acceptance that differences are inevitable and that greatness lies in managing them.

    “Our tables have always been tables of dialogue, places where every member, no matter how great or small, is welcomed to air their grievances, challenge our direction, and shape our future.”

    Shettima also reflected on the party’s journey right from inception.

    He recalled,”Since its formation in 2013, the APC has been both the dream and the drama of Nigerian democracy.

    ” So many predictions had been written about us as though we were an experiment doomed to fail,” he said.

    The vice-president credited the party’s longevity to its collaborative approach, observing that dialogue, not dictation, has been its shield against disintegration.

    He said there was no way the party could have survived this long without listening to one another.

    Shettima said, “Today is not merely a day of receiving new members. This is a declaration that the spirit of our great nation is alive.

    “It is a spirit that dreams beyond personal ambition, beyond party lines, and sees the larger arc of history.

    ” Nigeria is greater than all of us, and what we do here today is a step towards strengthening her promise.”

    Earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who described the defection of the Delta Governor as a political legacy, added that  it was a historic day.

    Ganduje thanked President Bola Tinubu for providing good leadership that had attracted more credible persons into the APC fold.

    “The National Working Committee of our party is happy with this decision of the Governor, and we are impressed with the cordial relationship existing between the governor and his predecessor, Dr Okowa,” he said.

    The Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum, Gov. Hope Uzodima of Imo, urged the people of Delta to continue to support their governor to deliver more dividends of democracy to the state.

    Uzodima assured that the forum would continue to support the governor to move the state to next level.

    He said APC the governors were in Delta in their large number to demonstrate the importance and values they have added with the coming of Oborevwori into the APC fold.

    Uzodima said:” Today is a special day and we are joyful and hopeful that at the end of the day the APC, a party that is based on ideology can protect our national interest, develop our country and expand the political horizon.

    ” Today when I was driving into Asaba this afternoon I saw development, I saw the performance of the governor, I saw infrastructure, the state looks like an APC state.

    ” So, I’m not surprised that the governor in his wisdom decided to joined our great party because what we were known for is what he is already doing in Delta State.”

    On his part, Okowa explained that his decision to defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was for the common good of the people of the State.

    ” Today obviously is a great day for us in Delta State. When the news broke out on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 that we have decided to change our path, people wonder why?

    ” In the history of people, there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people and whatever decision we took was based on the common good of the people.

    ” As I did tell people that day, it was not about me, it was not about the governor but the fact that there was a resolute for us to connect to Abuja.

    ” That goodwill that is in Abuja, that resolved that is in Abuja of which Delta State is a larger contributor, there was a need to connect to it,” he said.

    Responding, Oborevwori insisted that what happened in Delta was a movement, not defection.

    He explained that all the stakeholders of the state were part of the decision to move to the governing APC.

    The governor, who said Delta could no longer be in the opposition, thus the change of gears, added that the state decided to reciprocate the love of Tinubu.

    “All our members in the National Assembly have agreed that when plenary resumes, they will defect on the floor of the two chambers of the Assembly.

    “All the state and ward executives of our party and representatives at all levels will move. We want to be in the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is in line with my agenda,” Oborevwori said.

    He assured that there would be no faction in the Delta APC.

  • [VIDEO] We welcome you unconditionally to our party – Delta APC tells Oborevwori

    [VIDEO] We welcome you unconditionally to our party – Delta APC tells Oborevwori

    The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is welcomed ‘unconditionally’ into the party after his recent defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Watch video:

  • Omo-Agege, Nwoko’s failure to stop Oborevwori, Okowa’s defection to APC – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Omo-Agege, Nwoko’s failure to stop Oborevwori, Okowa’s defection to APC – By Ehichioya Ezomon

    The handwriting was boldly displayed on the wall many months before Wednesday, April 23, 2025, when Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor in office and vice presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and their entire political structure dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The defectors include Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme; House of Assembly Speaker Emomotimi Guwor; federal and state lawmakers; commissioners; local government chairmen and councilors; party officers at the state, local government and ward levels; and chieftains across the state.

    The mass defection, described by the watching public as a “political tsunami,” not only ended weeks of speculations about Oborevwori’s intention to ditch the platform he rode on to office, but also marked a significant shift in Delta’s politics and far-reaching implications for PDP’s structure and influence in the South-South zone.

    To the undiscerning, the process leading to the decampment appears to have started about February 4, 2025, when the APC governorship candidate in 2023 in Delta, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, opposed admitting Oborevwori and Okowa into the APC.

    At an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Agbor, Ika South and Ute-Okpu in Ika North East Local Government Areas of Delta on February 4, Omo-Agege noted that, while the party was open to welcoming Senator Ned Nwoko (PDP, Delta North), House of Representatives and House of Assembly members and other PDP leaders, it’d “no interest in Oborevwori and Okowa joining its ranks.” The Nation first reported on the issue on February 4.

    Omo-Agege’s rejection of Oborevwori and Okowa stemmed from “Oborevwori’s government’s alleged attempts to downplay APC’s strength despite the party’s growing influence in Delta,” hence he told the APC stakeholders that, “We have built this party from scratch, and we will not allow people with questionable records to destroy what we have worked hard for.”

    Omo-Agege recalled: “After the 2023 elections, the PDP spread false propaganda, claiming that APC no longer exists in Delta. Yet, this is a state where APC won two senatorial seats and two House of Reps seats. Today, the only PDP senator (Nwoko) is set to join APC, and you are still saying we are not on the ground? Are we not the majority party?

    “In Delta Central where Governor Oborevwori and I come from, APC won the senatorial seat. Out of three House of Reps’ seats, APC won two, while the remaining one was won by the Labour Party (LP). PDP won none. Out of nine House of Assembly seats, APC secured five, while PDP got four. So, which party is truly more popular?”

    Omo-Agege added: “Soon, we will have three senators, and I am aware that the three PDP House of Reps members are joining APC. Some House of Assembly members will also join us. So, they are all coming. We welcome everyone of them. The only two people, who are not welcomed, are Governor Sheriff and Okowa. They should remain in PDP and build their party.”

    Despite his (and later Nwoko’s) spirited efforts, Omo-Agege failed to stop Oborevwori and Okowa’s defection to the APC – which process was reportedly partly facilitated by the pioneer “political godfather” in Delta politics since democracy returned in Nigeria in 1999, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who’s created a political dynasty that’s produced Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (2007-2015), Governor Okowa (2015-2023), and Governor Oborevwori (2023-till date) – all on the PDP platform.

    Although Ibori and Okowa had issues over the governorship succession for 2023, with Okowa’s candidate, Oborevwori, a former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, prevailing over Ibori’s choice, Mr David Edevbie, a commissioner of finance in Ibori’s administration (1999-2007); the differences didn’t disrupt the political calculations on ground, which’s that Ibori, a reported close ally and confidant of President Bola Tinubu, should bring Oborevwori and Okowa into the APC fold for the 2027 election.

    That move is to expand the APC political base in the South-South beyond Cross River and Edo states to Delta, Akwa Ibom and possibly Rivers – which’s almost “in the bag” courtesy of former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike – and thus the expansion of the playing field for the re-election of Tinubu in 2027.

    Delta having led the way, further speculations indicate that four or five other governors and their structures will move into the APC ahead of 2027, as a coalition of opposition politicians, headed by former Vice President and presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is working to upstage Tinubu at the poll.

    Indeed, hours after the PDP structure in Delta defected to the APC, an elated and upbeat National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, restated his prediction that more governors would join the party. The former Kano State governor spoke as he received newly-decamped PDP members from Kano at his residence in Abuja on April 24.

    Declaring that the 2027 election “is a done deal” for the APC, Ganduje told reporters: “In APC, we believe in our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we believe in his economic reforms, we believe in his Renewed Hope Agenda and part of the political renewed hope agenda is trying to canvass for more followership into the party.

    “We started by democratically electing governors, especially in Edo State (Governor Monday Okpebholo), who was in PDP (but decamped to APC and was elected Senator), we contested (the governorship) and we succeeded in winning the election; the state is now in APC.

    “Now, there is another channel that has been opened through advocacy, through dialogue, through convincing some highly and even elected governors to come into the party. And you can see what has happened.

    “The Governor of Delta State (Oborevwori), including his cabinet, even including the former vice presidential candidate (of the PDP, Okowa), including all the members of the state assembly and National Assembly, and the timber and caliber of PDP, are now in APC.

    “So, you can see that we are expanding. I don’t want to reveal our secret but what I’m telling you is that for APC, 2027 is a done deal. More governors are coming into APC, I assure you; and places where we have elections, APC, insha’Allah, will win those elections.”

    Pioneer chapter chairman of the PDP in Delta State, ex-Senator James Manager (PDP, Delta South), has described Oborevwori and Okowa’s defection to APC “as the outcome of extensive internal consultations within the party.”

    “All PDP members in the state, including the governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and others, have agreed to move to the APC. We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” a reference to the PDP that’s fractured prior to the 2023 general election.

    After an enlarged PDP stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Asaba on April 23, Manager told journalists that the decision to decamp to the APC followed months of deliberations among key party figures, adding, “We’ve had intense discussions – some of them contentious – but we eventually reached a near-unanimous consensus driven by the prevailing mood in the party. What you are witnessing today is the culmination of those deliberations.”

    Without revealing the behind-the-scenes scheming, Manager said: “You cannot remain in a boat that is clearly capsizing. As a liberal-minded person, I’ve tried to view the situation objectively, and the current realities have made it clear – it’s time to chart a new course.

    “As you can see from the mammoth crowd around you, this is not a solo decision. It reflects a shared vision among us. It is a collective one, made for many reasons – reasons which I may not delve into at this moment.”
    Also significant is Okowa’s viral video message, reportedly addressed to his supporters in his dialect, with the assurance that he would choose the best (political) path going into 2027. “Be assured that we will not go in the wrong direction. We will take the best direction, the best path for our people,” Okowa said in the video.

    With the mass defection of PDP members in Delta to the APC, what does the future hold for Omo-Agege, who, though having a face-off with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), over control of Delta’s APC, had rightly placed himself as the front runner for Governor in 2027?
    The scramble for the APC ticket may now be a straight fight between Oborevwori on the one hand, and Omo-Agege and Keyamo on the other hand. With a united front of former PDP memberers behind him, the APC ticket is as good as Oborevwori’s for his second term bid!

    Can Omo-Agege and Keyamo bury the hatchet, and unite to produce a single aspirant from the “original” APC camp to challenge Oborevwori for the ticket? For now, that prospect is better imagined, even as Omo-Agege’s called for unity in the face of a possible hostile takeover of the Delta APC structure by the new entrants, with Oborevwori becoming automatic leader of the party in Delta State – reaping where he didn’t sow!

    At the APC stakeholders’ meeting on February 4, Omo-Agege implored members “to be united, and stay strong.” Thanking them “for their dedication and hard work,” he reassured the members that “all internal issues within Delta APC will be resolved ahead of 2027,” stressing that PDP’s national crisis could render it irrelevant by the next election cycle – a prediction that’s ominously unfolding by the day.

    “We should stop focusing on our internal issues and instead take advantage of PDP’s bigger problems. Are we even sure PDP will still exist in 2027? Their crisis at the national level is worsening. Our focus should be on winning the next elections and re-electing President Bola Tinubu,” Omo-Agege stated, adding that the successes of Tinubu’s policies “have made APC the most attractive party in Delta State, drawing interest from several political figures.”

    It looks a long road – and a fait accompli – for Omo-Agege and the founding or original APC members, several of whose chieftains led the agitation for Oborevwori and Okowa to decamp to the APC, which the duo honoured in a grand style on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

  • Oborevwori moves to revoke Senate Building contract as DELSU graduates 6,401

    Oborevwori moves to revoke Senate Building contract as DELSU graduates 6,401

    Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has ordered initiation of revocation proceedings for the abandoned Senate Building project of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.

    Governor Oborevwori, who gave the order in his remarks at the 17th convocation of the University in Abraka, said the revocation would enable the state government re-award it to a capable contractor and ensure swift completion.

    The Governor’s directive was in response to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Samuel Asagba’s request to complete the Senate building, which has been abandoned for over 22 years.

    The Governor directed the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Nyerowho Tonukari, to ensure the project was revoked to ensure prompt completion.

    In line with the tradition of the university, Governor Oborevwori also approved automatic employment for the overall best graduating student of the university, Okwa Favour Oghenemine, a mathematics graduate from the Faculty of Science with 4.95 CGPA.

    Oborevwori congratulated the graduands who had been found worthy in learning and character for the award of various degrees of the great citadel of learning.

    Governor Oborevwori commended the University’s Governing Council and management for the impressive growth recorded by the institution over the years.

    The Governor had on arrival inaugurated the 1km Road linking Faculty Basic Medical Science to Faculty of Arts and lauded the University’s Governing Council and Management for the various projects executed during the short period.

    The Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of DELSU, General Alexander Ogomudia, thanked Governor Sheriff Oborevwwori for the assistance he has rendered to the school and called on donor agencies and philanthropic individuals to contribute to infrastructural growth of the university.

    While calling on the state government to fast track completion of all ongoing and abandoned projects in the school and equally reminded graduands of the need to be good ambassadors of the institution in their various endeavours.

    Welcoming guests earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Samuel Asagba, said that a total of 6,401 students were graduated from the 2023/2024 academic session, with total of 830 postgraduate degrees, comprising 154 Doctor of Philosophy, 438 Masters Degrees and 238 Postgraduate Diploma.

    He said the university had attained 100 per cent accreditation of all its programmes, adding that it was recently ranked 20th position among over 300 Nigerian universities and 3rd position among state-owned universities in the country by the global SciVal Ranking tool of Elsevier.

    The Vice-Chancellor commended Governor Oborevwori, for his commitment to the growth and development of the citadel of higher academic learning.

    He said the university has completed several projects within the short period of his appointment as 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.

    At the convocation, the university confered honorary degrees to foremost entrepreneur and philanthropist, Chief Broderick Uvieoghene Arigbodi, Doctor of Science, renowned literary scholar, Professor Tanure Ojaide with Doctor of Letters, and outstanding industrialist and philanthropist, High Chief Eta Enahoro with Honorary Doctor of Business Administration.

    The valedictorian, Okwa Favour Oghenemine of the Faculty of Science with 4.95 CGPA, thanked God for their success and appreciated the Vice-Chancellor, management and staff of the university for instituting the Students’ Work and Scholarship Schemes, which enabled indigent students to sustain their academic pursuits.

  • I’m vindicated by Oborevwori, Okowa, others defection – Shaibu

    I’m vindicated by Oborevwori, Okowa, others defection – Shaibu

    Former Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu, says the defections into the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was a vindication of his stands.

    He said that of the Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and all his appointees and immediate past governor Ifeanyi Okowa was an eye opener to many that have not seen it coming.

    Shaibu, who disclosed this on Friday in Abuja, said that he foresaw and predicted this scenario while still in the PDP few years back, but was misunderstood.

    “I remember when I was leaving the PDP some of you asked me why I was leaving, and I said, I do not see a future of PDP in Nigeria because of the way the players are handling the party.

    “The players were not democratic. The leadership was not democratic, and I shouted, and then I was asked to keep quiet.

    “This is because the players that I see in charge of the party and the way I see things happening does not show what PDP actually stands for.

    “I predicted that in less than one year, as at that time, if they don’t change, the PDP will be history in Nigeria, then I was still a member of the party. So, it’s not like I was not a PDP member.’’

    The former deputy governor and one time house of representatives member said that what was happening to the PDP was not about the party, but the players.

    According to him, when you don’t feel a sense of belonging, with certain cabal feeling they are in charge and the owners of the party, then that should  be seen as a red flag.

    “Nobody is the owner of any party. All the parties in Nigeria, nobody can claim ownership, because at a particular given time, leadership emerges and those leadership cannot be forever. It’s always temporary in all parties.

    ‘’So that’s why I predicted then. I also said then that even the governors I see, I don’t see most of them remaining in the party, because some of them, I’m close to them, and I hear, and I see, and I feel what they feel.

    “Some of the feelings I have, they also share the same feeling. I see more governors leaving. No progressive governor can remain in PDP.

    “I salute the courage of the Delta governor, and I say the wisest decision he has taken in his political career is what he did on Wednesday.

  • Defection: I commend Okowa, Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision – Wike

    Defection: I commend Okowa, Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision – Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has lauded the immediate past governor of Delta, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for expressing his support for President Bola Tinubu.

    Wike gave the commendation in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Recall Okowa, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election on Wednesday, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Okowa decamped alongside Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and other PDP stalwarts in the state, collapsing the entire PDP structures in the state to the APC.

    Wike described the development as another endorsement of the president’s good governance and commitment to the development of the country.

    He called on other Nigerians, who were still sitting on the fence to throw in their support for Tinubu.

    According to him, Okowa and Oborevwori open endorsement of Tinubu is a vindication of the position I took in 2023, which was based on the interest of a united Nigeria.

    “I commend Okowa and Gov. Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria.

    “That is what I have always told people to come out and say, not to be running up and down when they have problems.

    “They have come out at the right time to show support for Mr President so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit more from the government, and I commend them for it.

    “I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the “Renewed Hope train,” the minister said.

  • BREAKING: Delta State Governor, Oborevwori, predecessor join APC

    BREAKING: Delta State Governor, Oborevwori, predecessor join APC

    Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori has joined the All Progress Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Alongside Oborevwori, his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa joined the ruling party.

    He said that the governor’s defection to the ruling party was for the interest and the overall development of Delta state.

    According to Manager, the entire PDP structures in the state had been collapsed to the APC.

    Given the current development, Delta State is now an APC state.

    Speculations about Oborevwori’s defecting to the APC has been put to rest.

  • Delta gov, Oborevwori swears in new HoS, Oseji

    Delta gov, Oborevwori swears in new HoS, Oseji

    Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, on Thursday, swore in Mrs Minnie Oseji as the new state Head of Service.

    Oseji’s appointment followed the retirement of Mr Reginald Bayoko.

    The governor also inaugurated Mr Austin Igbine as Chairman, Board of Delta Printing and Publishing Company, Publishers of The Pointer Newspaper.

    The two ceremonies took place at the Government House, Asaba.

    In a speech, Oborevwori assured the people of his administration’s commitment to a sustainably safe and secure state.

    He said that security agencies in the state were making progress in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes through pre-emptive strikes and other combat operations.

    He acknowledged that the challenges were enormous but surmountable, adding that security agencies had been “up-and-doing to ensure our security and safety.

    “As the Chief Security Officer of the state, I am aware of the several successes the security agencies have recorded – and keep making – in the fight against kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes through pre-emptive strikes and other combat operations.

    “Obviously, it would be counter-productive to avail the public of the measures the security agencies have put in place to reduce these violent crimes to the barest minimum.

    “But, please, be assured that they are unrelenting, and, as a government, we have continued to strengthen our partnership by providing them with the necessary tools and resources they need to be effective in their operations.

    “Finally, I urge all of us to play our part for enhanced peace and security in the state.

    “It is axiomatic that security is a shared responsibility,” the governor said.

    He urged residents to cooperate and support the security agencies by promptly reporting any suspicious activities or persons to the relevant authorities.

    “Our law enforcement personnel are not clairvoyants, their success is largely dependent on the information they receive from the public.

    “So, if you see or hear something, please, say something.

    “Together, we can make our dream of a safe and secure Delta a reality,” he said.

    The governor congratulated the new HoS and lauded her predecessor “for his outstanding contributions to the state’s public service”.

    He described Oseji as “a quintessential civil servant, polite, dedicated, brilliant, and thorough”.

    According to him, she brings to her new office, decades of exceptional stewardship, exemplary leadership, and undiluted passion for excellence.

    “Her strong work ethic, sincerity of purpose, and professionalism are, indeed, worthy of emulation, and my warm congratulations to her on her meritorious appointment,” he said.

    Oborevwori further charged Oseji to continue to re-orientate the workers to tackle the perennial problems of absenteeism, lateness, unethical conduct, sharp practices, and poor maintenance culture.

    He said: “This administration is determined to leave the legacy of an efficient, disciplined, and performance-driven civil service.

    “I am proud of the progress we have made so far. But some challenges remain.

    “Hence, it is important for civil servants to keep abreast with the policy direction of the government.

    “It is also incumbent on them to offer honest, impartial, and practical advice, and provide all the relevant information that is required for the successful execution of government’s programmes and projects.

    “The rank-and-file of the civil service are filled with qualified, intelligent people but, unfortunately, the problems of attitude and orientation remain a constant challenge.

    “As government workers, public interest must always be above personal interest.

    “Also, building synergy and teamwork is critical to avoiding the ‘us and them’ mentality.

    “Remember, teamwork is what makes the team work.”

    The governor also congratulated Igbine on his appointment and urged him to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor.

    “It is my expectation that The Pointer will attain new heights in editorial quality, production excellence, improved advertising and marketing, bigger circulation, as well as enhanced digital operations under his leadership and direction,” he said.

    Responding, Oseji thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve and for entrusting her with the huge responsibility of ensuring integrity, professionalism and service excellence in the state’s civil service.

    She pledged to ensure the reorientation of the civil service on financial regulations and to key into the M.O.R.E Agenda of the governor.

    She gave an assurance that no one would be left behind in the civil service under her watch.

  • Oborevwori’s mandate spurs rigorous project inspections for quality, timely delivery – Aniagwu

    Oborevwori’s mandate spurs rigorous project inspections for quality, timely delivery – Aniagwu

     

    Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, has disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s constant drive for rigorous inspections was to ensure transparency, quality, and timely delivery of projects.

    The Commissioner stated this on Tuesday, during the inspection of various projects in Aniocha North, Ika South and Ika North-East Local Government Areas of the state.

    Aniagwu, who was in company of the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and top officials of the ministry, inspected the ongoing construction of Issele-Azagba-Otulu Road, Aziken Avenue, DDPA Low Cost Housing Estate, Boji-Boji Agbor; the 10km Owa-Alero – Otolokpo Road and
    Kingdom Road, Umunede.

    According to him, it was important to clarify the rationale behind the continued inspection of various ongoing projects across the state.

    “According to the directive from the Governor, these inspections are crucial to ensuring that all projects align strictly with their specifications, ultimately guaranteeing that the people of Delta State get full value for every naira spent.

    “The Governor emphasized that regular oversight is essential not only to hold contractors accountable but also to ensure adherence to the terms outlined in the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME).

    “By doing so, the government ensures that neither the state nor its citizens are short-changed in any form,” he said.

    Continuing, he said, “Another vital reason for these inspections is to increase public awareness of the developmental projects being executed—many of which the people may not be aware of.

    “Through media engagement, the government aims to keep citizens informed and encourage community participation in monitoring progress.”

    Aniagwu also said “Citizens are urged to use the whistleblower line to report any deviations or shortcomings in project execution.

    “Additionally, these site visits allow the government to monitor whether contractors are meeting agreed timelines, especially for projects scheduled for commissioning as part of the administration’s second-year anniversary.

    “This also helps in assessing the contractors’ capacity to complete their work on time and in full.

    “An example is the inspection of the Issele-Azagba-Otulu corridor. While the quality of work was commended, the pace of construction drew criticism.

    “The project team has been instructed to accelerate their efforts. Funding concerns are also being addressed, with instructions given to raise certificates to facilitate financial disbursements, if needed.

    “These proactive steps and the Governor’s recent approval of a 40% fund release for all ongoing projects reflect the administration’s commitment to fast-tracking development, while upholding transparency and accountability”.

    Aniagwu said, “When we inspect these projects, we know whether the timelines are being met or whether the contractor needs some assistance in order to complete the project or even for us to determine whether the contractor has the capacity to complete the project.

    “At the Issele-Azagba – Otulu road, we are pleased with the kind of work he is doing but not happy with the speed of work. So, I have made it very clear to him that he needs to speed up work.

    “The last time I went there, I raised some issues; some they have handled and some are still not done. I have asked them to raise certificates in case funding is part of the challenges.

    “If the speed is increased, we will be able to gain a lot of ground. That informed the Governor’s approval of forty per cent in the recent times for all our projects.”

    At Aziken Avenue, the Commissioner said, “I am impressed with the level of work here but the contractor still needs to speed up work. We were impressed with the initial speed but it looks like he has slowed down.

    “The rain can possibly also undermine our intentions to have this project commissioned by May. He has assured me that it will be ready by May, but in doing so, he must not compromise standards.”