By Comrade Sylvester Obasere
I have read with dismay the lengthy epistle authored by Barrister Fred Latimore titled: “Why 2027 Is Not Ogboru’s Time: The Case for Continuity Under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.” It is nothing more than a bloated justification of failure; a theatrical narrative, long in length but barren in truth.
In 2023, when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was declared winner, Chief Great Ogboru, in a rare demonstration of statesmanship, congratulated him. It was the first time since 2003 that Chief Ogboru extended such courtesy to an opponent. He recognized the declared result and implored the new administration to govern in accordance with the rules and regulations framework designed to guarantee a better life for Deltans. Governor Sheriff, in turn, assured Chief Ogboru of his commitment to “make Delta great again.”
It was on the strength of that assurance that Chief Ogboru chose restraint and accorded the government the benefit of time. Today, after three and a half years, the verdict is unanimous: the administration has fallen short, and Deltans have been left with promises instead of progressive delivery of good governance.
You conceded that Chief Ogboru is among the most recognized political figures in Delta State. Yet that recognition does not begin to capture his stature. Since 2003, he remains the only governorship contender to present a coherent and comprehensive blueprint for the prosperity of our people. The Ogboru Agenda is so meticulously conceived that its implementation will yield prosperity even for the most vulnerable. This is not a question of political longevity. It is a question of vision, competence, and will. I assert without equivocation that under Chief Ogboru’s leadership, Delta would have visibly witnessed unprecedented people-centered transformation within two years.
Deltans are not clamoring for Chief Ogboru out of mere sentiment. They have examined his manifesto, x-rayed his character, understood his vision, trust his consistency and found in him the answer to our collective aspirations. That is why, from every community and clan across the state, the call for Ogboru grows louder by the day.
Mr. Fred Latimore, let us not belabour the obvious. Even the most naïve observer acknowledges that this government has failed and should be replaced. From Delta South through Delta Central to Delta North, there is no commensurate evidence of the trillions of naira that have accrued to the state, save for flyovers on federal highways, funds from which were partly returned the arterial roads remain in ruin. These are federal interventions appropriated for political applause, while the governor abdicated his constitutional responsibilities. It is this dereliction that has plunged Deltans into untold and unbearàble hardship.
Our economy is in distress, almost to the point of collapse. Keke and Okada, once the pride and economic escape route of our youths and a means of honest livelihood, have become unattainable luxuries. The soaring cost of living has compelled many young people into servitude, operating commercial tricycles and motorcycles on hire purchase for those who have pillaged public resources.
In the health sector, the situation is graver. Government hospitals now charge fees beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. Facilities established to serve the poor have been comodified for the rich. Since this administration came on board, mortality rates have continued to climb.
On the fiscal front, the record is even more troubling. In a single tenure, Governor Sheriff has received federal allocations exceeding the combined receipts of the Uduaghan and Okowa administrations over 16 years. The windfall from fuel subsidy removal, meant to cushion the people, has vanished from the coffers of government into thin air. Yet beyond Internally Generated Revenue, it is doubtful that even 20% of federal allocation has been deployed to tangible projects for the people.
Chief Ogboru, by contrast, is a man of covenant. He has pledged to commence employment generation from day one in office. He has also committed to the revival of moribund state-owned enterprises; assets capable, on their own, of lifting Delta out of unemployment. The present government, lacking both focus and integrity, has failed to harness these opportunities staring at us in the face.
It is for this reason that Deltans are once again turning to Chief Ogboru as the beacon of hope for our state. To persist on the current path of ineptitude is to invite the collapse of Delta state. We owe it to our children and to posterity to change course.
Let us give Chief Ogboru the opportunity to serve. He possesses the wisdom, the experience, and the capacity to redeem our state. We must not mistake “M” for “W.” Ogboru’s untainted and unblemished success in business is a testament to what he has to offer, for the socio-economic growth and development, and transformational modernization of Delta State.
To you, Barrister Fred Latimore: what you celebrate as achievements exist only on paper. Deltans demand evidence in concrete terms, in infrastructure, in jobs, and in improved welfare, not in rhetorics. As we say in Warri, we are tired of “audio projects.” We need the real thing. That is why we are calling on Chief Ogboru. Nothing more, nothing less.
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