Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, weekend, described the opposition in the state as an alliance of “strange bedfellows”.
Speaking on Arise Television “This Week”, Aniagwu said the opposition alliances were formed not out of shared values but for political convenience, leading to incoherent policy positions and egoistic dispositions.
Aniagwu also criticized the opposition for being out of touch with the realities in Delta State, highlighting that their narratives demonstrate a lack of engagement with the state’s current developments.
He further noted that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s impressive record in infrastructural and human capital development has unsettled the opposition, suggesting that the administration’s achievements are a more effective response to political critiques than engaging in early political debates.
Aniagwu views the opposition’s coalition as a strategic but ideologically inconsistent alliance, contrasting it with the current administration’s focus on tangible developmental projects in Delta State.
He said Governor Oborevwori was redefining governance in Delta by ensuring fulfilment of promises made to the people during the electioneering campaigns.
“As appreciative people, Deltans are watching with keen interests the development trajectory of Governor Oborevwori and would repay his faithfulness by re-electing him again come 2027.
“Oborevwori’s preoccupation right now is to ensure that while development is taking place we have peace and security.
“We are happy that we have a governor that is taking us to higher grounds and i am privileged to be put into two portfolios but what is making those two portfolios quite easy for me is the fact that my governor is doing the bulk of the work.
“As Commissioner for public Information, i have things to talk about that i can refer to that i can challenge even anybody whether they are in any political party or not.
“Governor Oborevwori is an apostle of development and that development is what the man want to continue to do and for those of us who are part of his administration, we are quite pleased that we belong to a government that is doing what government is supposed to do.
“Particularly as well spelt out in section 14 subsection 2 paragraph b of the 1999 constitution which makes the welfare and the security of the people the primary purpose of government.
“So when you come to Delta and individuals want to navigate towards the direction of ignorance, our business is to show them what it is so that they do not navigate towards the corridor of ignorance.”
On Delta’s Internally generated revenue, IGR, Aniagwu said Governor Oborevwori raised the state’s IGR from N75billion to N150billion in less than two years.
“Our growth in internally generated revenue is in geometric progression not arithmetic progression, so if a man who has been able to do that in less than two years, and they are saying he is not growing the IGR, perhaps they need to redefine what growth meant.
“Now, you mentioned some persons and claimed that they are very, very powerful. I am happy that you followed through our politics in 2023.
“Oborevwori won 21 out of the 25 local government areas, while the opposition won in 4 local government areas. Although we did not want to challenge the processes that led to his win in 4 local government areas in what looks like a pyrrhic victory for Omo-Agege, the former Deputy President of the Senate.
“By the time the next election comes, don’t take my word for it. You are very free to visit their towns. Oborevwori will not only win in 21, he will move beyond 21.
“You know the reason why? Deltans are very appreciative. Once you do one thing that makes them understand that government is working, like they told us when we got to Warri and many other places where we visited, you will understand that they will show that appreciation when the time comes.”
On support for President Tinubu, Aniagwu said the time for politics was over after elections adding that the Oborevwori administration believed that it was time for governance.
“You talked about these individuals saying that they are going to support the president. Does it look like we are fighting the president?
“My governor believes that the time for politics has passed after the elections and that the time for politics again has not also come.
“My governor has asked everybody that it’s for those who support me, for me to be able to deliver good governance, we also need good governance at the center.
“And that means supporting the president will not also be out of place, because it is believed that we do not go into a rotten mouth and begin to look for a healthy teeth in it.
“In this case, if the Nigerian Federation is functioning properly, the sub-nationals will also benefit from such functionality and so, if there is anybody who believes that Tinubu needs to succeed, it’s Governor Oborevwori.
“At the moment, Tinubu is our president and my governor believes that if we are also able to support Tinubu for the purpose of ensuring that Nigeria runs smoothly, that even Delta will also benefit from the good policies and implementation to be carried out by Tinubu.
“So when you hear, if you are supporting me, also support the president. My brother, he’s not playing politics, Oborevwori is matching promises with action by fulfilling his campaign promises.”
