By Christopher Slater

Watching Charles Aniagwu, Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Public Communications), on Arise TV recently was not only disheartening—it was a national embarrassment. One expected measured words and clarity from a public officer occupying such a sensitive portfolio, but what was delivered instead was a vitriolic monologue riddled with historical inaccuracies, brazen propaganda, and an assault on the collective dignity of the Itsekiri people.9

For anyone who missed it, Aniagwu claimed that the controversial ward delineation exercise in Warri was in fulfilment of a Supreme Court order meant to correct “imbalances and inequities” in the region—suggesting, in essence, that the Itsekiris have been the beneficiaries of a structural injustice. This, coming from the official mouthpiece of a government that has been ominously silent on the issue, is as reckless as it is provocative.

First, there exists no such Supreme Court judgment that mandates a delineation exercise to favour one ethnic group over another. If such a ruling exists, let Aniagwu or the Delta State Government produce it. Until then, his statement must be viewed for what it is: a dangerous attempt to justify a questionable exercise being railroaded under the guise of administrative fairness.

But this is not just about a false claim; it is about the pattern. Charles Aniagwu has long built a reputation as a skilled manipulator of public narratives, using media appearances to peddle half-truths and political spin in defence of his benefactors. His latest performance on Arise TV was not just misleading—it was outright malicious. In fact, not even Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s notorious propaganda chief, could have spun such brazen falsehoods with such unapologetic audacity. Aniagwu’s utterances were textbook propaganda: lie, repeat, and weaponize it through state channels.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the silence of the Delta State Government on this issue was never golden; it was complicit. The sudden outbursts from government agents like Aniagwu, and earlier from Kingsley Otuaro, point to a coordinated campaign to gaslight the people of Warri and skew the public discourse in favour of a well-known political script.

The facts speak plainly: this is not merely about Aniagwu’s utterances—it is about a government that appears to be abdicating its responsibility to protect all citizens equally. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who is presently in the United States, must disassociate himself from this shameful outing or risk being seen as endorsing it. The Commissioner’s statements, delivered in the name of the state, have created more division than clarity. If the governor truly desires peace and progress, Charles Aniagwu must be removed from office with immediate effect.

This brings us to the heart of the matter: what we are witnessing is not governance but political patronage masquerading as public policy. We recall how former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, now a political godfather in the Delta landscape, emerged in 2015 with the open backing of elements enriched by illicit bunkering activities in the Gbaramatu axis. That support was rewarded with the deputy governorship handed to Kingsley Otuaro, a move that entrenched a dangerous pattern of political appeasement.

Today, we are witnessing Act II of the same playbook, this time with more audacity. Otuaro appears on Arise TV to peddle falsehoods, and shortly after, Okowa’s own kinsman, Aniagwu, follows suit. Coincidence? Hardly. The script is too familiar.

But Warri is not a pawn on a political chessboard. It is a city rich in history, culture, and strategic importance. It has bled enough. The current ward delineation controversy threatens to reopen old wounds, and it is disgraceful that a government that should be building bridges is instead inflaming tensions through its spokespersons.

The Itsekiri nation is watching. Nigeria is watching. And history will remember who stood on the side of truth.

Governor Oborevwori must rise to the occasion—not just as the Chief Security Officer of the state, but as a leader with a mandate to ensure justice, fairness, and peace. The people of Warri deserve no less.