Sheriff, the Journey so far

The elections have come and gone, and Winners have been sworn into all categories of office. Today we take a look at the office of the governor of Delta State, which is currently occupied by Chief Sheriff Oberivwori. During the campaign, Governor Sheriff made it clear he would listen more and do more, and with what we have seen so far, he is living up to expectations. Let's take a look at some of the highlights of his first month and a half in office. On the 2nd of June, the governor swore in the new secretary to the Delta State government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, and also Senator Emmanuel Aguariawodo as senior political adviser. The appointment was swift, and the choice of the governor showed he is a man who values and understands the importance of having experienced hands in government. The appointment also showed that he is proactive and knows what he wants to do. Not resting on that, on the 5th of June, he visited the Ughelli-Asaba dualization road to inspect the level of work done as part of his Urban renewal plan. He emphasized the importance of the road and urged the workers to make sure it was completed by the stipulated time.

On the 12th of June, he made a courtesy visit to the Asaba Specialist Hospital, where survivors of the Bayelsa State Football Supporters Club who had a fatal accident at the Kwale axis of the Ughelli/Asaba road were receiving treatment. He prayed with them and encouraged them while also providing financial aid to them. He also used the opportunity to visit other patients and purchase an artificial leg for a diabetic patient whose leg was amputated. He also praised the Chief Medical Director and her team for their proactive approach to patients. On the 23rd of June, the governor was at it again with his team, visiting the ongoing project sites in Okpanam and Asaba. During the visit, the governor inspected the state high court complex in Asaba and also phase I and phase II of the flood control measures around Madonna College Road in Okpanam and the drainage channel around Koka. He expressed his satisfaction with the calibre of work they produced and his appreciation for their efforts. Perhaps the most interesting highlight so far was his visit to Warri, Effurun, and environs on the 26th of June.

Governor Sheriff is the first governor to ever go around the interior areas of the cities of Warri and Effurun. He didn’t just drive past the major roads, but those areas known as Ikoro or ghetto were visited by the governor, and when he got to the axis of the first marine gate, the people greeted the governor with so much joy and complained bitterly about how they had been in darkness for a long time due to the bad transformer. The governor immediately ordered a new transformer to be brought to the people of the first marine gate through the local government chairman. I’m pleased to add that the transformer was delivered two weeks after that time.

The governor was also seen personally taking pictures of the bad spots on various parts of the roads that were driven through, and he sent the pictures to the permanent secretary for documentation to visit those places with developments. He also inspected the renovation of the Warri township stadium and the Warri/Effurun stormwater projects, the Ewulu/Isheagu road, and the Otovwodo junction in Ughelli, where he ordered the relocation of the Delta appreciation park and the Otovwodo market in Ughelli. The governor also inspected ongoing projects in the Delta Central Senatorial District to ensure sustainable, high-quality job delivery. However, he complained of the progress of the job being impeded by structures erected by canals on their pathway.

On the 19th of July, the governor also sent the names of nominees for appointment as commissioners to the Delta State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation. Amongst these six nominees were people who had served in the previous administration, showing the dynamism of this governor to mix experience with newbies. On the 25th of July, the governor, on a visit to the Prof. Chike Edozien secretariat, announced the approval of the payment of promotion arrears to the state workforce amounting to about five billion naira.

It’s important to note that he made this promise during his campaign, and he has fulfilled it in that regard. On the 7th and 8th of August, bulldozers and soldiers, along with government officials, were seen in the city of Warri and its environs going about to specific areas to demolish buildings erected on drainage paths. It’s also important to note that the owners and occupants of these buildings were given due notice before the commencement of the demolition. There is still much work to be done and a lot yet to be attended to by the State Governor, but with what we have seen so far, there is hope for Delta State.
Written by Curtis Arawore
emailcurtisarawore@gmail.com

On April 5, 2023, the Minister of Finance told Nigerians they had secured a loan of $800 million to disburse to at least 10 million households, equal to 50 million vulnerable Nigerians that will be more affected by the fuel subsidy removal. This has led to so many questions being raised about what the main discourse of this article is.

The first question I would love to ask the Minister of Finance is, HOW DID THEY COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT ONLY 50 million Nigerians will be more affected and are the most vulnerable? While we await the new figures from the soon-to-be-conducted census next month, Nigeria has an estimated population of over 200 million Nigerians. How did the Minister of Finance come up with their data? When and where did 10 million people register in the national social register, from which they claim to have generated the figures? The next question we ought to ask is: what impact will $800 million have on the lives of 10 million Nigerians? Now, to understand the effect of this palliative to be shared, let's do the math. Using the exchange rate site www.xe.com, $800 million will amount to approximately N368 billion. If you divide this among over 50 million Nigerians, each person or household will get approximately N7,400 each. Realistically, what impact do you think that will have on the lives of the very vulnerable Nigerians, and for how long?

Another issue arising from the disbursement of this palliative is to be shared the means of transfer of the cash from the government to the citizens. The Minister of Finance has said this transfer of cash will be done hand-to-hand. This, of course, has raised a lot of questions about the sincerity of their plans. Hand to hand distribution of this cash makes it difficult for the Minister and the Ministry of Finance to be held accountable in the near future since the transfers never passed through the bank. One very painful thing is that the Minister has said they intend to disburse this money before they leave office, but let's not forget that fuel subsidy removal will be done by the new incoming government. This has also raised suspicion in the hearts of Nigerians. Why not wait for the new incoming government to disburse this money themselves or to even decide if they actually would want to indulge in this part being taken by this current administration. What is the impact of this loan on the Nigerian economy? This loan has a zero impact on the Nigerian economy; in fact, it will do more harm than good. With our current debt profile shuttling between 46 and 77 trillion naira, a loan that is not self-liquidating will only further worsen our debt profile and weaken the naira against the dollar, which of course, will cause an increase in the price of goods and services as we are more of a consuming nation. You would have thought that if the government is willing to borrow this huge amount for such a shambolic project, they could have also thought about the fact that this money could have been better channeled to at least one of our refineries to put it in a working condition to help reduce the price of petrol, diesel, and kerosene, which will have a direct impact on the lives of every Nigerian instead of a selected few that will not even feel the impact in their lives for a month.

In 2011, President Buhari told us during the flag campaign of General Mohammed Buba Marwa, the then Adamawa governorship candidate for the defunct CPC, that there was nothing like fuel subsidies and that it was a plan by the Jonathan led administration to steal money. Today we are talking about the same removal of fuel subsidies under Buhari's administration.

Sometimes you have to wonder about the justification of the academic qualifications of our leaders. The Minister of Finance is a Master's degree holder, and surely there are Doctorates and Professors working under her in the Ministry of Finance. What about the consultations and meetings with stakeholders only to come up with a clueless, meaningless project that will further drag us into more debt because of their greed and shamelessness to steal as much as they can before leaving office. I tag this one last big heist by the Finance Minister of Nigeria.

Firstly, let me say a big congratulations to Hon. Chief Sheriff Oberivwori. It’s no small feat to contest and win the governorship election with such a wide margin. My biggest congratulations go to the people of Delta State. They have clearly made their choice in the person of the Hon. Chief Sheriff. This victory has cleared the air of lies that were perpetuated by the opposition party, which claimed Deltans were tired of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) due to the current administration and that Hon. Chief Sheriff wouldn’t win not because he is not competent but because of his predecessor, the Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. This victory has shown trust and loyalty from the people of Delta to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate.

They have decided to go with the continuity, efficiency, accountability, dedication, responsiveness, and security that the Peoples Democratic Party has demonstrated in the state all these years. This victory has shown that Deltans are fair, and just as there have been cries for the Okpe constituency to produce the next governor of the state, citing the marginalization of the Okpe people, Deltans have adhered to that cry. This victory also shows that Delta State is a Christian state and has elected a Christian in the person of Hon. Chief Sheriff, as the major opposition to him is neither a Christian nor a Muslim but a pagan worshipper. Deltans have voted competency over hatred, falsehood, lies, and threats, which was the manifesto of the opposition party. The victory also shows that the youths of the state have complete trust in the Governor-elect, Hon. Chief Sheriff, and his MORE agenda for the state, where he has promised improved inclusion of the youths in his administration. This victory is also a vindication for the current administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, proving that his administration is loved by the people of Delta State and that his hard work during his tenure has not gone unnoticed.

One thing that continues to amaze me is how Hon. Sheriff’s victory was able to liberate and unite an entire state. No wonder he is called Ukodo. Long live Delta State, long live Deltans.

WHO IS SHERIFF OBOREVWORI?
Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is a Nigerian Politician and the incumbent speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly as a representative of the Okpe Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is also the flag bearer for the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 gubernatorial elections in Delta State. Hon. Sheriff was born on the 19th of June, 1963 to the family of Chief Samuel and Mrs. Esther Oborevwori of Osubi town in Okpe local government area of Delta State.
WHAT QUALIFIES HIM AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE
Hon. Sheriff’s Educational Qualification. Hon. Sheriff obtained his first degree from the prestigious Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma in Edo State where he studied Political Science. He then furthered his education in Delta State University, Abraka, where he bagged his Masters in Political Science. Hon. Sheriff is known to be is a technocrat whom most people describe as the perfect example of putting round pegs in the round hole. He is also an Alumnus of the Alliance Manchester University Leadership Executive Certificate Programme. Hon. Sheriff is also an Alumnus of London School of Economics and Political Science Certificate Programme on leading inclusive development. His experience as a political scientist has been put to test severally and we can say for a fact that he passed with flying colours. His promotion to the Speaker of House of Assembly shows his leadership qualities and that he is a man who understands what needs to be done. He is not just a political scientist but also a man who has put his qualification to test by serving in various capacities since 1996 as a Councillor he has also been a chairman of the Okpe community in the past.

ZONING/ETHNICITY
On the issue of zoning which cannot be ignored in a state like Delta with diverse culture, it is only important and proper that the Okpe people be giving the mandate to lead us into the new political dispensation. Since 1999 neither has the Governor nor Deputy Governor come from the Okpe clan so base on zoning and for fairness and equity it is imperative for Hon. Sheriff to be Governor.
CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE
Hon. Sheriff is a philanthropist who has always helped others. In 2018, he awarded scholarships to 25 indigenous and non-indigenous students in Okpe local government. He also gave out empowerment packs worth six million Naira (N6,000,000). On the 24th of June, 2018, the educational support programme which was lunched under the Oborevwori Foundation Scholarship Scheme was accompanied by other entrepreneurship support/empowerment endeavours to support petty traders, market women and artisans. The philanthropic gesture includes the provision of 24 commercial buses/cars, 10 tricycles, 20 hair dressing saloon kits, with generators, 40 grinding machines for millers, 30 sewing machines for tailors, 20 deep freezers for market women in frozen food business and clothing hundreds of widows. These are only a handful of his charitable acts he doesn’t keep track of everything he does because it’s just who he is. Kindness is a way of life for him.
POLITICAL CAREER
Hon. Sheriff has been in politics for a very long time. He started as a grass-root politician and has paid his debts in full. He has served in almost every strata of state

politics from 1996 till date. He was once Chairman of the Okpe community, a Councillor, and former clerk of the House of Assembly Delta State before being elected as the new Speaker of the House of Assembly after the impeachment of Hon. Monday Igbuya. Given the circumstances under which he became the new Speaker, Hon. Sheriff has shown that he is the man for tough times after restoring peace to the House of Assembly and the State in general. He is also a man who has great respect for people and his kinsmen, and this did not go unnoticed as he was dabbed with the chieftaincy title, the Ukodo of Okpe, by his Royal Majesty, the Orhorho1, Orodje of Okpe in recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of the Okpe Kingdom.
RELIGION
Hon. Sheriff is a strong believer in the things of God and is a man who loves God. He has promised not to only take Delta State to another level on economic issues but also make sure he leads with the fear of God.

Curtisarawore@gmail.com