Opposition chieftains and civil servants in Delta State have criticised Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over his reported remarks urging civil servants to vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, warning against attempts to turn the state’s civil service into an extension of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign machinery.
Key Highlights
- NDC chieftains fault Oborevwori over reported remarks urging civil servants to vote Tinubu.
- Commissioners and agency heads allegedly directed to mobilise workers for APC candidates.
- A ministry worker says a commissioner held a meeting urging staff to vote for the President.
- Some workers question whether the delayed 13th-month salary bill is linked to the push.
- Opposition urges organised labour to protect workers’ political independence.
The opposition figures described the reported remarks as inappropriate and potentially intimidating, arguing that public servants should not be pressured into supporting the political ambitions of the governor or the ruling party.
Their concerns have been reinforced by allegations that Oborevwori directed commissioners and heads of government agencies to engage their workforce and persuade them to support Tinubu and other APC candidates ahead of the elections.
Some civil servants who spoke with The Trumpet condemned the reported remarks, insisting that their political choices should remain personal and that government employment must not be tied to partisan loyalty.
They also expressed concern that the alleged mobilisation directive could expose workers to pressure from their superiors, particularly if political persuasion were interpreted as an instruction that must be obeyed.
‘Delta Civil Servants Are Not APC Property’
Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Ughelli North, Mr. Afure Akpevwe, reacting to the controversy, said the governor should distinguish between his responsibilities as the elected leader of the state and his activities as a partisan politician.
“The governor is entitled to campaign for President Tinubu and the APC, but he has no right to suggest that civil servants who do not support the president are wicked. That is an unfortunate way to approach democratic politics.
“Delta civil servants are not the property of the APC. They are citizens with constitutional rights, personal convictions and the freedom to decide whom to vote for.
“Their salaries are paid for the work they do, not for their willingness to endorse a particular political party.
“If the APC believes it has performed well, it should present its achievements to the people and allow the electorate to make their decisions freely. You cannot turn political support into a test of loyalty to the governor,” he said.
The NDC chieftain also expressed concern over the allegation that commissioners and heads of agencies have been directed to mobilise workers for the ruling party.
13th-Month Salary Questions
Another NDC chieftain and state House of Assembly candidate for Ughelli South Constituency II, Mr. Obakpororo Ishani, described the controversy as particularly troubling against the background of economic hardship and expectations surrounding workers’ welfare.
The opposition figure argued that the government should concentrate on addressing the concerns of workers rather than creating the impression that their political support was necessary to secure the administration’s goodwill.
“What is particularly disturbing is that workers are already struggling with the cost of living, yet they are now expressing fears that their political choices may become a subject of pressure from the government.
“People are asking questions about the proposed 13th-month salary, and some workers suspect that it could be connected to the push for political support.
“That suspicion must not be dismissed, but it must also be properly investigated rather than treated as an established fact.
“The government should explain the status of the bill and fulfil its obligations to workers without creating any impression that welfare benefits are rewards for political loyalty.
“Workers should not have to endorse Tinubu, Oborevwori or any APC candidate before they can expect fair treatment from their government. Public service is not a political bargaining arrangement,” he said.
Ishani further urged organised labour to protect the independence of workers and resist any attempt to issue political endorsements in the name of civil servants without their consent.
Read also:
- Oborevwori Links Delta Civil Servants’ 13th-Month Salary to APC Support Ahead of 2027 Election
- Delta Assembly Passes Bill to Make 13th-Month Salary Permanent For Public Servants
- Delta TUC Seeks Engagement With Government Over 13th-Month Salary Implementation
Workers Recount Ministry Meeting
Another civil servant who spoke with The Trumpet said Oborevwori should exercise restraint in his public statements and avoid creating the impression that civil servants are obliged to share his political convictions.
The civil servant cited the prevailing economic hardship, arguing that workers and their families were struggling with the rising cost of living.
The controversy has been further heightened by allegations that Oborevwori directed commissioners and heads of government agencies to engage their workforce and, where possible, persuade them to support Tinubu and the APC.
A civil servant in one of the state ministries reportedly confirmed that the ministry’s commissioner convened a meeting with workers and appealed to them to vote for the President.
According to the worker, the commissioner argued that supporting Tinubu would strengthen the governor’s position in dealing with the federal government and potentially improve the state’s prospects of securing additional benefits from the centre.
Another civil servant questioned whether the delay in assenting to the proposed 13th-month salary bill could be connected to the drive to secure workers’ support for Tinubu.
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