Delta Governor Says Voting Against Tinubu Would Be Wrong

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has said it would be wrong for Deltans to vote against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. He pointed to the president’s personal and family ties to the state.

In an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Oborevwori said that President Tinubu is the only major presidential candidate with a direct link to Delta State through the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who has family roots in the area.

The governor highlighted that among the candidates expected in the 2027 race, Tinubu is unique due to this connection. He urged Deltans to see his candidacy as a family matter.

"The man is an in-law here, and it would be wrong to vote against your in-law. It’s a family matter. In the South-South, the people in Delta are saying this is their own," Oborevwori said.

Family and Ethnic Ties

He also mentioned that the support for the president is boosted by the First Lady’s impact in the state, especially among the Itsekiri people. He added that political support in Delta is increasingly influenced by these family ties.

"The First Lady is holding the state strong, and no Itsekiri person will vote against Tinubu. No Urhobo man will because their son is the governor," he said.

Beyond family ties, the governor also defended the economic policies of the Tinubu administration. He stated that recent reforms have led to better revenue sharing with states, including Delta.

Oborevwori said, "The confidence we have is in the people. His reforms and programmes are working very well. Sometimes when I commission projects and tell people we have money, it’s because of the reforms. If they are not working, we won’t get money."

These comments come months after First Lady Oluremi Tinubu received a traditional title in the Warri Kingdom during a ceremony in February 2026. This event was seen as strengthening cultural connections between the presidency and Delta State.

The governor's remarks are likely to spark discussions, especially about the role of family and ethnic ties in politics as the 2027 elections approach.