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Delta does not need a governor who only governs; it needs a leader who communicates, reassures, accounts and speaks when the people most need to hear him

There is a growing and legitimate concern among many Deltans about something that should ordinarily be taken for granted in any functioning democracy: the responsibility of a governor to regularly speak directly to the people he governs.

For nearly three years, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has occupied the highest political office in Delta State. He has commissioned roads, inspected projects, attended ceremonies, received delegations and issued statements through his aides. His administration has also had its share of achievements which it has consistently publicised.

But there is one conspicuous aspect of his leadership that deserves serious scrutiny: his apparent reluctance to speak directly to Deltans in a statewide broadcast, particularly at moments of great significance to the state or when circumstances demand the reassuring voice of the governor.

This is not a trivial matter. It is not about whether Governor Oborevwori likes making speeches. It is not about whether he is comfortable before television cameras. It is not even about whether his commissioners and media aides are capable of speaking for his administration.

It is about the office of governor and its responsibility to communicate with the people.

A governor is not merely the chief project commissioner of a state. He is the political leader, chief executive and, importantly, the symbol of the government of the state.

And leadership requires communication.

Why is Governor Oborevwori silent?

The question that increasingly deserves an answer is simple:

Why doesn’t Governor Oborevwori talk to Deltans? Is he media-shy? Does he have media phobia? Does he believe that the Commissioner for Information can speak for him on every matter? Or does Government House simply not appreciate the enormous symbolic importance of the governor personally addressing his people?

Whatever the reason, Deltans deserve better. A governor should not disappear behind press releases and spokespersons.

There are moments when the people need to hear the governor’s own voice.

A statewide broadcast is one of those instruments through which a leader can transcend party politics, ethnic interests, political disagreements and the daily noise of government.

It provides an opportunity for the governor to say: “This is where we are as a state. This is what we have achieved. These are our problems. This is what my government is doing. And this is where we are going.”

That is leadership.

Anniversary without the governor’s voice

Consider the importance of a state creation anniversary. Delta State was not created yesterday. It has a history. It has gone through political struggles, economic challenges, social transformations and several administrations.

An anniversary should therefore be more than photographs, ceremonies, congratulatory messages and advertisements. It should be a moment of collective reflection. Where did Delta come from? What have we achieved What have we failed to achieve? What lessons have we learnt? What kind of Delta are we leaving for the next generation?

The governor is uniquely positioned to provide that reflection. He should be able to speak to the farmers in Ndokwa, the traders in Warri, the civil servants in Asaba, the fishermen in the riverine communities, the students, artisans, professionals, traditional rulers, business people and ordinary families across the state. He should tell them what the state means to him. He should tell them what his administration is doing. He should acknowledge where government has fallen short. He should inspire them about the future. That is why leadership communication matters.

An anniversary is not merely an occasion for celebration. It is an occasion for a leader to help his people understand their collective journey.

And then came the politics of fear

But perhaps the most disturbing reason Governor Oborevwori should have been talking directly to Deltans is the increasingly poisonous political atmosphere surrounding the 2027 elections. Delta is beginning to witness allegations of political intimidation and violence from different political camps.

Peter Mrakpor, SAN, the PDP governorship candidate, recently alleged that suspected political thugs attacked PDP members and persons joining the party at Oria-Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government Area. He called for police investigation and prosecution.

NDC governorship candidate Deacon Chris Iyovwaye has also alleged that suspected thugs attempted to prevent him and his supporters from accessing the community town hall during a consultation in Aghalokpe.

Then came the extraordinary allegations from Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who alleged that armed men attacked an NDC political engagement at Usiefrun, Ughelli South, on August 13, with six members of his party reportedly injured. He subsequently alleged that more than 50 armed men attacked and destroyed an NDC campaign venue in Uvwie, pulling down canopies and destroying campaign materials.

Most seriously, Omo-Agege alleged that Governor Oborevwori had previously threatened to have him killed. That is not an allegation that any responsible government should wave away. It is a grave allegation. It demands investigation.

It demands clarification. It demands reassurance. And above all, it demands that the governor, as the state’s chief security officer, should be seen and heard taking the matter seriously.

To be absolutely clear, an allegation is not a conviction. Governor Oborevwori should not be declared guilty of anything merely because a political opponent has accused him.

Indeed, the Delta State Government has rejected Omo-Agege’s allegations, with Commissioner Charles Aniagwu describing them as political mudslinging and saying the administration would campaign on its record rather than engage in a “mud fight.”  But that response does not answer the larger question.What is the governor himself saying to Deltans? That is the point.

When violence is alleged, silence is not leadership

If political opponents accuse people associated with the government of violence, the appropriate response from Government House should not simply be political counterattack. The governor should rise above the political contest. He should say: No political party has the right to attack another. No candidate should be prevented from campaigning peacefully. No Deltan should be beaten because of his political preference. No political meeting should be disrupted by thugs. No campaign material should be destroyed. No politician should be threatened with death.

Security agencies must investigate every credible allegation and prosecute whoever is found culpable.

What could possibly be wrong with such a statement? Nothing. In fact, it would strengthen the governor’s moral authority.

Instead, when the principal response to serious allegations comes through political spokespersons who dismiss the allegations as “mudslinging”, the public is left wondering whether Government House understands the gravity of what is happening.

The issue is bigger than Omo-Agege. It is bigger than the NDC. It is bigger than the PDP. It is bigger than the APC. It is about the right of every Deltan to participate in politics without fear.

Even the ruling camp has not been spared

The disturbing situation becomes even more troubling because political violence appears not to be exclusively an opposition-versus-government affair.

The APC’s own political gathering at the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, reportedly descended into violence, with the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, Simon Mudi, popularly known as Temple, reportedly attacked.

The ensuing controversy eventually resulted in the suspension of Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Reuben Izeze, while security agencies were expected to investigate allegations linking him to the incident. The controversy subsequently became a matter of court proceedings and public political recriminations. This is precisely the point at which the governor’s voice becomes indispensable.

When people are fighting within the political family itself, when opposition parties are accusing government supporters of attacks, when government officials are allegedly being assaulted, and when politicians are making allegations involving threats to life, the governor should not leave the public conversation entirely to political operatives. He should speak.

A governor cannot outsource leadership

There is nothing wrong with having a commissioner for information. There is nothing wrong with having a Chief Press Secretary. There is nothing wrong with Special Advisers and media aides. But communication officers cannot substitute for leadership.

A spokesman can explain government policy. A commissioner can defend an administration’s record. A press secretary can issue statements. But there are moments when only the governor’s voice is sufficient. Imagine a father whose children are quarrelling violently in his presence. Would he merely send a spokesman to tell them to calm down?

Would he delegate the responsibility of assuring them that everyone is safe?

No. He would come out himself. He would speak. He would calm them. He would establish boundaries. He would reassure them. That is what leadership does.

The press also deserves access to the governor

There is another troubling aspect of this communication deficit: the apparent absence of regular, substantive interaction between Governor Oborevwori and the press. The media is not the enemy of government. The media is the bridge between government and the governed.

A governor does not have to love every question journalists ask. He does not have to agree with every newspaper editorial. He does not have to accept every criticism. But he should be willing to engage.

A regular press interaction would give journalists the opportunity to ask questions directly about:

• security;
• infrastructure;
• education;
• healthcare;
• employment;
• revenue;
• development projects;
• political tensions;
• allegations of corruption;
• electoral preparations;
• and the overall direction of the state.

That is how democratic accountability works.

A government that speaks only when it wants publicity is communicating. A government that also speaks when difficult questions must be answered is accountable.

The danger of governing through press releases

There is a limit to what press releases can accomplish. A press release is inherently institutional. A statewide address is personal. A press release says: “Government has said…” A governor’s broadcast says: “I, as your governor, am speaking to you.” That difference matters.

Citizens want to know that the person occupying the office understands their anxieties. They want to hear compassion when times are hard. They want to hear firmness when violence threatens the peace. They want to hear humility when government fails. They want to hear confidence when the future looks uncertain. They want to hear vision when the present appears difficult. That cannot always be delegated.

Oborevwori owes Deltans more than projects

Governor Oborevwori may point to roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other projects. Those things matter. Indeed, government must deliver tangible development. But governance is not merely about physical infrastructure.

There is also an infrastructure of trust.

And trust is built through transparency, communication, accountability and consistent engagement. A government can build a beautiful road and still have a communication deficit. It can commission a hospital and still fail to communicate adequately with its people. It can announce programmes every day and still leave citizens wondering what their governor personally thinks about the state they call home. The people need both development and direction.

Mr Governor, speak to your people

This is therefore not a demand that Governor Oborevwori become a television celebrity. It is not a demand for unnecessary speeches. It is not a partisan demand. It is a demand for responsible democratic leadership. Governor Oborevwori should begin speaking directly and regularly to Deltans.

When Delta celebrates an important anniversary, let the governor speak.

When the state faces a serious security concern, let the governor speak. When political violence is alleged, let the governor speak. When tragedy strikes, let the governor speak. When his government achieves something significant, let him explain its meaning. When his government makes mistakes, let him acknowledge them. When difficult decisions are necessary, let him explain why.

And when elections approach and political temperatures rise, let him tell every political actor, friends and opponents alike, that Delta State belongs to all Deltans, not to any political party. That would be leadership.

Silence is not neutrality

There is a misconception that staying above controversy requires staying silent.

It does not. A governor can refuse to take sides in a partisan quarrel while taking a firm position against violence. He can refuse to endorse an opposition politician while defending that politician’s constitutional right to campaign. He can reject an allegation against him while simultaneously demanding that the underlying incident be independently investigated. That is precisely what responsible leadership looks like.

The governor does not have to agree with Omo-Agege to defend Omo-Agege’s right to campaign. He does not have to support Mrakpor to condemn an attack on Mrakpor’s supporters. He does not have to support Iyovwaye to guarantee his right to hold a peaceful meeting in Aghalokpe. He does not even have to agree with his own party members to insist that political disagreements must never degenerate into violence. The office of governor is bigger than the party card.

Delta deserves to hear its governor

Perhaps the most important question, therefore, is not whether Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is “media shy”. The more important question is: Does he fully appreciate the communicative responsibility that comes with being Governor of Delta State?

Because the governor’s voice is not merely another voice in the crowded political marketplace. It is the voice of the state’s chief executive. It is a voice capable of calming fears. It is a voice capable of drawing political boundaries.

It is a voice capable of uniting citizens. It is a voice capable of inspiring confidence.

It is a voice capable of telling armed political actors, whoever they are, that the state will not tolerate violence.

And it is a voice capable of reminding Deltans that, beyond PDP, APC, NDC and every other political platform, there is one Delta.

Governor Oborevwori therefore needs to understand something fundamental:

Leadership is not only about what you do for your people. It is also about what you say to them, when you say it, and whether they hear you when they need you most.

Three years is a long time for a governor to remain largely absent from the direct statewide conversation with his people.

Delta does not need a governor who speaks only through aides. Delta does not need a governor whose voice is heard principally at project commissioning ceremonies. Delta needs a governor who can stand before his people and say:

“I hear you. I understand your concerns. I know our challenges. I accept my responsibility. And together, we will protect the peace and build the Delta we want.”

That is not too much to ask. It is the bare minimum expected of leadership.