By Colins Adaka

GREAT leaders often emerge from obscure circumstances. And when a great leader seizes on an idea whose time has come he becomes irresistible. As Victor  Hugo (1802-1885) has reminded us “there is no greater force than an idea whose time has come.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag bearer in Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is a man of pedigree who has the enviable virtues of honesty and integrity, discipline, self restraint and moderation.

Considering the circumstances of his emergence as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State and the subsequent court cases up to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court victory could only be ascribed as divine. God has been there every step of the way. Walking down memory lane, recall that Oborevwori was amongst the twelve governorship aspirants screened by the governorship aspirants committee of the DC-23 for four months. Then, he was among the three shortlisted aspirants.

And during the governorship primaries he won by a very wide margin, and then the numerous court cases. It was Brain Tracy who said that sometimes the negative things that happens put us directly on the path to the best things ever to happen to us.

To state the obvious, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has passed through the tutelage of the three governors who have superintended the  state since the advent of the Fourth Republic. In this wise, he served as Special Assistant to Governor James Ibori, Special Adviser to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and now currently Speaker of the State House of Assembly with Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as Governor.

Sheriff is a moralist and a servant leader who understands the philosophy of governance and leadership. He has the ability to define issues without aggravating the problems. After the general election of 2019, his fellow house mates in the Delta State House of Assembly returned him as Speaker for a second term  because according to them, he is a pan-Deltan and he easily builds consensus. And that he showed a deep understanding of the developmental challenges of Delta State. All over the nooks and crannies of the state, all what the people are saying is that “a Sheriff has come to town.”

Oborevwori has a clean political and public service records spanning over two decades. He is the longest serving speaker since the creation of Delta State. Currently, he is the Deputy National Chairman of Speakers of State Legislators of Nigeria. His own politics is not to intimidate people but to affect the lives of the majority of the people.

Ever since becoming a councilor at the ward level, he has had this vision of impacting lives, he has refused to give up on. No life grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined. 

Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E AGENDA is vividly real because he bustles with creative energies.

The MORE agenda encapsulates an open, responsive government that meets the needs and aspirations of Deltans through infrastructure development, growth in human capital and improved social harmony. Sheriff would walk the talk even in the midst of trials, difficulties and opposition.

Furthermore, the MORE AGENDA is one of the many strategies at attacking the scourge of poverty and employment amongst our people.

The duo of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and Sir Monday Onyeme have the capability of taking the good people of Delta State further in terms of sustainable development and human capital empowerment.

Those vilifying Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of under-performance are utterly wrong. The Governor has done his very best to the admiration of the good people of Delta State. This has earned him several awards and accolades. Sheriff Oborevwori is a great technocrat and philanthropist.

During the COVID-19 induced lockdown in 2020, to cushion the irreparable effect of the lockdown, Sheriff did not only feed the people, he gave them a life line.  

Foodstuffs, money and clothes were given to the elderly, poor, underprivileged, unemployed, rural and urban communities across the three senatorial districts of Delta State. Also, this was replicated in the recent flood disaster in some communities of the state.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s remarkable achievements coupled with the political sagacity, competence and popularity of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, would surely bring about a landslide victory for the PDP. God’s providence will over see him on this onerous task.

*Collins Adaka lives in Asaba, Delta State.