ASABA, DELTA STATE โ Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has triggered severe political backlash across Nigeria after publicly declaring that his primary focus is no longer state governance, but ensuring the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The controversial statement, made by a governor elected on the platform of the chief opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has ignited fierce debate over the growing political capitulation of opposition leaders to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) establishment.
The Declaration: Loyalty Over Leadership
Speaking during a strategy session with political stakeholders, Governor Oborevwori explicitly sidelined his constitutional governance mandates in favor of national partisan alignments.
“Governance isnโt an issue for me now,” Oborevwori stated point-blank. “My number one project is to deliver President Tinubu. That project is bigger than any other project.”
The admission instantly went viral across digital platforms, drawing immediate condemnation from Delta State indigenes, public affairs analysts, and civil action groups. Critics have characterized the governor’s stance as an absolute abandonment of his oath of office and a betrayal of the electorate who voted for him under an opposition umbrella.
Public Backlash: The “Fanaticism” Query
The public response has been marked by deep cynicism. Popular political commentator Obiasogu David voiced the frustrations of many citizens, questioning the immense, almost fanatical leverage President Tinubu appears to hold over state executives regardless of their party affiliations.
“What did Tinubu use on these governors?” David questioned in a widely shared public intervention. “How they are fanatical about Tinubu is abnormal!”
Political analysts attribute this frantic displays of loyalty to several critical underlying factors shaping current state-federal relations in Nigeria:
- Judicial and EFCC Vulnerabilities: Insiders suggest that many governors are desperate to stay in the good graces of the presidency to protect themselves and their predecessors from aggressive anti-corruption probes by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or to secure favorable outcomes in ongoing electoral litigations.
- FAAC Allocation Dependency: Following the removal of the petrol subsidy, statutory allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to states have surged to historic highs. Governors are eager to maintain a cozy relationship with the presidency to guarantee the continuous flow of these enriched fiscal disbursements.
PDP in Shambles Over Delta Defection Strategy
Oborevwori’s open alignment with President Tinubu deals a catastrophic blow to the internal cohesion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Delta State has traditionally served as a principal financial and electoral stronghold for the PDP since the return to democracy in 1999.
With the sitting governor openly declaring his allegiance to the APC president, senior PDP stakeholders admit privately that the party’s national structure is facing an unprecedented existential crisis.
While Delta State opposition leaders demand an immediate probe and disciplinary action against Oborevwori for anti-party activities, the governorโs media team has double-downed on the narrative, arguing that collaborating with the federal center is a strategic move to attract key infrastructural developments to the Niger Delta region.
