The Forum of Presidents-General of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as sole candidates, while declaring support for all other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key Highlights
- The Forum of Presidents-General of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms endorsed President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori as sole APC candidates for 2027.
- The endorsement was made in Effurun during a visit by a delegation representing the Delta State governor.
- The forum said its position affirms an earlier endorsement by the Forum of Urhobo Traditional Rulers.
- Officials linked the endorsement to expectations of stronger federal-state collaboration and development for Delta State.
- The endorsement was said to cover all APC candidates contesting elective positions in Urhobo land in 2027.
The endorsement was made on Wednesday, when the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, representing the state governor, the Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, Hon. Solomon Igrakpata, and the State Director of Protocol, Chief Sunday Onoriode, visited the forumu2019s secretariat at Effurun, Delta State.
Speaking during the visit, Chairman of the forum, Chief Monday Arawore, said the Presidents-General were committed to working with the government in power to protect the interests of their communities and ensure that their people benefited from government programmes.
u201cAs Presidents-General, our position is clear. We work with the government in power because our primary responsibility is to protect the interests of our communities and ensure that our people benefit from government programmes and interventions,u201d Arawore said.
He said the forum understood the Governoru2019s decision to align Delta State with the political leadership at the centre, adding that the objective was to strengthen federal partnership and attract opportunities for the state.
u201cWe understand the Governoru2019s decision to align Delta State with the political leadership at the centre. The objective, as explained by the Governor, is to secure stronger federal partnership, attract greater opportunities and advance the development interests of Delta State,u201d he said.
Arawore added that the position of the forum was also consistent with that of the Forum of Urhobo Traditional Rulers, which, according to him, had called for Urhobo unity, peace and support for the Governoru2019s administration.
u201cWe therefore pledge our support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the MORE Agenda of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, while urging both governments to continue to put the welfare and development of our people first,u201d he said.
Traditional Rulersu2019 Position Affirmed
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, who represented Governor Oborevwori at the meeting, described the development as an affirmation of the position earlier taken by Urhobo traditional rulers.
According to him, the traditional rulers had spoken on the political direction of Urhobo, while the Presidents-General had followed up by affirming the position.
u201cWhat the President-General has done today is to affirm what the traditional institutions, our Royal Fathers have said,u201d Akpowowo said.
He recalled instances of political succession in Delta State, arguing that the current position was consistent with what he described as the practice of respecting the decisions of traditional institutions.
u201cOur traditional rulers, in their wisdom, decided to affirm and endorse Governor Sheriff for second term and declare that nobody from Delta Central worthy to be called Urhobo son should contest against him. You cannot challenge your father. The traditional rulers are our fathers, they have spoken. As a good son, you follow the step of your father.u201d
The Deputy Speaker also said the endorsement extended beyond Governor Oborevwori to President Tinubu and APC candidates in the state, linking the Governoru2019s support for the President to the expectation of increased federal collaboration and development.
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Endorsement Covers All APC Candidates
Also speaking, Chief Sunday Onoriode said the endorsement by the Urhobo Presidents-General covered all APC candidates contesting various elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
u201cOur candidates contesting for various seats in the next general election in Urhobo land have been endorsed by the PGs of Urhobo land. Itu2019s a clear manifestation of the feeling of the Urhobo people,u201d Onoriode said.
u201cOur kings have spoken, the PGs have followed suit and in our culture our kings are gods in the land and once they speak it is the words of the god,u201d he said.
Similarly, Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, Solomon Igrakpata, described the development as significant, saying the Presidents-General had spoken about what they considered the impact of the policies of the Federal Government and the state administration.
u201cIu2019m so happy, Iu2019m overwhelmed, because the PGs in their speech have come out to express the good works of Mr. President, his policies and how the policies are affecting Nigeria positively, and also the good works of the Governor of Delta State, especially in his MORE Agenda,u201d Igrakpata said.
He also referenced the endorsement of Governor Oborevwori by the traditional rulers of Urhobo, describing the Presidents-Generalu2019s position as reinforcing that earlier declaration.
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