If elections were won by endorsements alone, then President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori would not need to campaign or even contest in 2027. They would simply proceed to the swearing-in ceremony.
Key Highlights
- The article argues that political endorsements cannot replace actual votes in the 2027 elections.
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori have reportedly received numerous endorsements from groups across Delta State.
- It questions whether the endorsements truly reflect public sentiment or simply the views of political allies and beneficiaries of the establishment.
- The piece warns that leaders surrounded by constant praise may become disconnected from the realities and concerns of ordinary citizens.
- It argues that voters are more likely to judge the government based on roads, jobs, security, healthcare, education and the cost of living.
In just the past week, both leaders have received more than ten endorsements from different groups across Delta State—ranging from little-known organisations and self-styled political groups to large stakeholder gatherings such as the Delta Central APC Stakeholders’ Strategic Meeting in Effurun. Yet, none of these endorsements amounts to a single ballot cast.
Political endorsements have become so frequent that they are gradually losing their significance. Every gathering ends with a voice vote endorsing the President, the Governor and all APC candidates. The optics make for good headlines, but elections are not decided in conference halls or by applause from party faithful. They are decided in polling units by ordinary Nigerians.
The critical question is whether these endorsements reflect the true feelings of the electorate or merely the position of those who currently benefit from the political establishment. It is no secret that many politicians praise leaders publicly while expressing different opinions behind closed doors.
For Governor Oborevwori, the endless endorsements also raise an uncomfortable question: are those praising him telling him the truth about the mood on the streets, or merely telling him what they believe he wants to hear?
A leader surrounded only by applause risks becoming isolated from reality. Genuine advisers point out shortcomings and encourage corrective action. Sycophants rarely do. Their survival depends on praise, not constructive criticism.
As more endorsements pour in, ordinary Deltans are likely to judge the administration on issues that affect their daily lives—roads, jobs, security, healthcare, education and the cost of living—not on how many groups lined up to issue communiqués of support.
The APC may celebrate another endorsement today and another tomorrow. Yet when the time comes, it is not party stakeholders, political appointees or mushroom organisations that will determine the outcome of the election.
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The real challenge before Oborevwori is not accumulating endorsements but convincing Deltans that his administration deserves another mandate. Critics have argued that despite Delta receiving one of the highest monthly federal allocations in the country, many communities are yet to feel the expected impact of governance.
There are also persistent complaints that political appointees have been financially and politically weakened, leaving many unable to sustain grassroots political structures. Others allege that decision-making within government is overly centralised, with the governor exercising significant control over contracts and major projects, thereby limiting the authority of commissioners over their respective ministries.
Whether these criticisms are justified is ultimately for the people to assess. What cannot be disputed, however, is that endorsements do not substitute for public approval.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, the APC may continue to secure endorsements from stakeholder groups, associations and party loyalists. But the endorsement that truly matters will come from millions of voters on election day. History has shown repeatedly that no number of voice votes at political gatherings can replace the verdict of the ballot box.
