The Forum of Presidents-General of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 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 election.
The endorsement was made yesterday, 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 and visited the forum’s 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.
“As 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,” Arawore said.
He said the forum understood the governor’s 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.
“We understand the Governor’s 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,” 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 Governor’s administration.
“We 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,” he said.
In his remarks, Akpowowo, who represented Governor Oborevwori, 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.
“What the president-general has done today is to affirm what the traditional institutions, our Royal Fathers have said,” 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.
“Our 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.”
The deputy speaker also said the endorsement extended beyond Governor Oborevwori to President Tinubu and APC candidates in the state, linking the Governor’s support for the President to the expectation of increased federal collaboration and development.
Also speaking, Chief Onoriode said the endorsement by the Urhobo presidents-general covered all APC candidates contesting various elective positions in the 2027 general election.
“Our candidates contesting for various seats in the next general election in Urhobo land have been endorsed by the PGs of Urhobo land. It’s a clear manifestation of the feeling of the Urhobo people,” Onoriode said.
“Our 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,” he said.
Similarly, Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, 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.
“I’m so happy, I’m 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,” Igrakpata said.
He also referenced the endorsement of Governor Oborevwori by the traditional rulers of Urhobo, describing the Presidents-General’s position as reinforcing that earlier declaration.