THE commemoration of May 29 has acquired an enduring note since 1999 when the extant democratic practice was restored after 16 years of military interregnum. Two features have indeed bolstered its profound annual celebration. The sustenance of the democratic project in contrast to the failure of three previous republican experimentations as well as the notable achievements at the federal and subnational levels have made a difference. Some progress had been made. Even a trenchant critic of Nigeria’s democratic course would acknowledge some progressive glimpses of the post-1999 years in comparison to the chequered period before the commencement of the fourth republic.
Among Nigeria’s 36 states, Delta had been considerably impacted by the return of civil rule. Of course, a cursory review of the trajectory of the State in the past 26 years shows an impressive development as a result of the birth and continuity of socio-economic programmes by successive administrations. In Delta State’s history, four democratically elected governors who have presided over the affairs of the state left their footprints in the sands of time. Cognisant of the mandate they received from the electorate, the governors rose to the occasion and executed some programmes which distinguished their tenures.
The four remarkable men, namely Chief James Ibori; Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the incumbent, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, are unarguably men of destiny who had the rare chance of governing Delta State. What has distinguished the tenures of these politicians is a convergence of ideas and initiatives which were translated into concrete achievements. To a large extent, the combined tenures of these men could be likened to a relay race. Ibori took the first baton after eight years and gave same to Uduaghan, who subsequently handed over the same baton to Okowa. Now, the baton is in the firm grip of Oborevwori who expectedly will brace the tape in 2031 after spending eight years in office like his predecessors.
The common denominator among the aforementioned governors is a recognition of the need to attend to the growing aspirations of the citizens. This is evident in the progressive efforts at growing the economy and seeking ways to empower those who seemed irretrievably fated to vulnerable existence. While each governor pursued his own agenda, they inevitably coalesced into multiple programmes that continue to define the developmental course of Delta State in various sectors. Granted that they came at different times, but the summation of their various socio-economic programmes has contributed to the serial strides for which Delta is noted in the comity of states.
Since the inauguration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori on May 29, 2023, the state has been gifted with profound development in many sectors. Coming with a fresh vision duly enhanced by prior experience in governance as a former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Oborevwori came prepared for governance of the state. His choice of the MORE Agenda as a mantra effectively provided the background for the programmes which portrayed him as an administrator who’s abreast with the challenges of his time. It is gratifying to note that the MORE agenda has yielded maximum benefits for the state and its people. Besides the musicality of the MORE. agenda, its most striking point lies with the multiple manifestations of Oborevwori’s accomplishments in the past two years.
Without equivocations, it is a thing of joy that Oborevwori’s MORE. agenda has widened the scope of development with its provision of projects to diverse parts of Delta State’s geography. Perhaps, the most recognisable area of achievement is infrastructural emplacement in all the three senatorial districts of the state. The defining aspect of this intervention is partly boosted by his execution of new and inherited projects. Some of the projects include the Trans-Warri-Ode-Itsekiri project with multiple bridges, Obotobo 1, Obotobo 2, Sokebulou, and Yokriri roads in Ogulagha in Burutu Local Government Area. There is also the Benuku Bridge linking Ndokwa West and Ndokwa East local government areas, the Asaba-Ase bridge linking Ndokwa East and Isoko South local government areas, and the Ayakoromo Bridge on River Forcados. All these bridges are symbolic in nature, connecting as it were communities that were hitherto rendered inaccessible by extenuating circumstances.
Besides the manifold roads is a distinguishing factor of the Oborevwori good deeds portrayed by his deliberate action in addressing the needs of unserved and underserved communities infrastructure-wise. This represents an inclination to inclusive governance so much so that there is hardly any community or local government area that has not benefitted from the execution of a road project since 2023.
The peculiar plaintive case of Amai in Ukwuani Local Government Area can best be used to illustrate what could be described as Oborevwori’s benevolence. From 1999, that community had clamoured for the construction of a road linking it with Aragba-Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area until few months ago when the Oborevwori administration awarded contract for the road and subsequently mobilised contractors. That singular action has generated a sense of belonging to the people of that community. There are however many other communities whose aspirations in this regard had been met in one way or the other.
Apart from boosting infrastructure across the state, the Oborevwori administration has recorded significant strides in education, health, security and public service reforms. There have been diverse interventions to remedy issues in the health sector, to provide houses for Deltans in some ways, establishing educational institutions as typified by Delta State College for Health Technology Ovrode in Isoko North Local Government Area, as well as meeting the ever-growing needs of educational institutions across all levels.
Also noteworthy is the empowerment programmes for Deltans embarked by the governor as a way of addressing the material poverty of those within the vulnerable group as well as giving a helping hand to people currently engaged in one form of business or the other. One of the two initiatives was the MORE Grants scheme which implementation in 2024 enriched the lives of 5,426 beneficiaries that comprised petty traders, artisans and female entrepreneurs. Thereafter, in the same year, there was the Delta COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (D-CARES) programme which provided support to a broad spectrum of Deltans.
On the whole, Governor Oborevwori has performed creditably vis-a-vis the resources at his disposal. He has not disappointed the people given their appoval that has greeted his policy formulation and execution.
If he could achieve that much in just half of his first tenure, there’s certitude that a review of his full first term in 2027 will yield a great harvest likely to surpass the accomplishment of his predecessors. All that’s required is a great focus of his administration on building a solid base for the growth of Delta’s economy in the years ahead as well as sustaining the buy-in of the stakeholders.
More so, Governor Oborevwori hs demonstrated prudence, ensuring that the state remains sulvent while completing inherited projects and initiating new ones. It is on good record that despite not taking any laon, Governor Oborevwori has spent nearly N300 billionto repay debts and fulfil contractual obligations inherited from previous administrations.
Therefore, it is not out of place for Deltans to continue and even intensify support for the governor and his government to do more in the coming years as governance should not be the burnden of the governor alone. All hands must be on deck in ensuring that Delta continues on this noble trajectory of development.
We wish Governor Oborevwori well as he inches towards the end of his first term preparatory to a deserved quest for reelection in 2027.
