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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

2027: Delta governor backs Tinubu’s re-election bid, cites family ties

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori urged Deltans to vote for President Bola Tinubu in 2027, citing his "in-law" status and ancestral ties to the state.
  • Oborevwori argued that President Tinubu is the only leading contender with a direct link to Delta through First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, emphasizing it as a "family affair."
  • The governor also defended Tinubu's economic reforms, claiming they have improved revenue allocation to states, and noted the First Lady's influence, particularly among the Itsekiri ethnic group.

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has declared it would be "evil" for the state's residents to vote against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, citing personal and familial connections to the state. Oborevwori asserted that Tinubu is the sole prominent presidential hopeful with a direct affiliation to Delta, stemming from First Lady Oluremi Tinubu's ancestral roots in the region.

Speaking on Arise Television, Oborevwori framed Tinubu's candidacy as a "family affair," emphasizing that the president is an "in-law" to Delta State. He highlighted that political alignments in Delta are increasingly influenced by such relationships, particularly noting the First Lady's strong standing among the Itsekiri ethnic group. "No Itsekiri person will vote against Tinubu. No Urhobo man will because their son is the governor," he added, suggesting a unified ethnic and political front.

The man is an in-law here, and it would be evil to vote against your in-law. It’s a family affair. In the South-South, the people in Delta are saying this is their own.

— Sheriff OborevworiDelta State Governor explaining his reasoning for supporting President Tinubu's re-election bid based on familial ties.

Beyond these familial and ethnic considerations, Governor Oborevwori also voiced support for the Tinubu administration's economic policies. He contended that recent reforms have successfully boosted revenue allocation to states, including Delta. Oborevwori stated that the administration's programs are functioning effectively, enabling states to receive increased funding, which he links to the successful commissioning of projects.

The governor's remarks follow First Lady Oluremi Tinubu's conferment with a traditional title in the Warri Kingdom in February 2026, an event widely interpreted as a move to strengthen the presidency's cultural ties with Delta State. These comments are expected to fuel debate regarding the influence of ethnic and familial loyalties in Nigerian electoral politics as the 2027 general election approaches.

The First Lady is holding the state strong, and no Itsekiri person will vote against Tinubu. No Urhobo man will because their son is the governor.

— Sheriff OborevworiGovernor Oborevwori highlighting the First Lady's influence and ethnic support for President Tinubu in Delta State.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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