Peterson, Chukwunwike, others rally Aniocha/Oshimili stakeholders, urge grassroots support for Tinubu, Oborevwori
The political temperature in Delta State has begun to rise ahead of the 2027 general elections, as stakeholders from the Aniocha/Oshimili axis launched a fresh mobilisation initiative aimed at delivering three million votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The mobilisation, tagged “Operation 3 Million Votes,” took place at the Skill Acquisition Hall of the Aniocha North Local Government Council Secretariat, Issele-Uku, during a prayer and civic engagement programme organised by the Pastors’ Forum for Sustainable Development (PFSD).
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The event attracted political stakeholders, clergymen, community leaders and government officials from Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South.
The Executive Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Council, Hon. Pastor Jude Chukwunwike, was among prominent participants at the gathering.
Peterson Makes Case For Tinubu
The Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Dr. Donald Onyibe Peterson, used the occasion to make an economic case for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Peterson urged Nigerians to evaluate political leadership using facts, economic indicators and tangible development rather than political rhetoric.
He focused on the country’s economic trajectory from 2015, arguing that the Tinubu administration inherited major fiscal and foreign exchange challenges.
He particularly defended the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023, acknowledging the hardship caused by the policy but insisting that the measure was necessary to address what he described as an unsustainable financial burden.
“I will not stand before pastors and pretend that a difficult thing was easy,” Peterson said.
‘Okowa Governed During Difficult Economic Period’
The governor’s adviser also praised former Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for his handling of the state during a period of declining oil revenues and economic recession.
Peterson recalled that Okowa assumed office in 2015 when crude oil prices had fallen sharply and federal allocations to states were under pressure.
He said the administration prioritised workers’ salaries, pensions, youth empowerment and infrastructure while implementing the SMART Agenda.
He also cited the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme as initiatives designed to create opportunities for young Deltans.
‘Okowa’s Succession Strategy Was Significant’
Peterson said Okowa’s legacy should not be measured only by physical infrastructure.
According to him, the former governor also deserves credit for creating an institutional framework that could be inherited by his successor.
“The harder test of a governor is not what he erects but whether what he erects can survive the man who erected it,” he said.
He further argued that Okowa’s decision to allow his successor to govern independently was an important aspect of his political legacy.
Oborevwori’s Administration Gets Praise
On Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Peterson said the incumbent governor inherited an established administrative structure and subsequently benefited from increased federal revenue following economic reforms at the centre.
He argued that the increased resources had provided Delta State with greater capacity to execute infrastructure projects.
Peterson cited the state’s 2026 budget and ongoing road projects across several local government areas as evidence of increased development activity.
‘Tinubu Created Fiscal Space, Oborevwori Deployed It’
Peterson said political credit should be properly distributed among the various administrations.
“President Tinubu made the resources available by taking a decision that cost him politically. Senator Okowa built the house that was standing when the resources arrived. Governor Oborevwori has had the prudence and the pace to convert those resources into concrete rather than commentary,” he said.
NELFUND, Naira Reforms Highlighted
The Special Adviser also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, describing it as a reform capable of reducing the financial pressure on families seeking to educate their children.
He also defended the foreign exchange reforms of the Tinubu administration, arguing that the unification of the forex market exposed distortions that had previously been concealed.
However, he acknowledged that Nigerians were still facing inflationary pressure.
“Inflation at sixteen per cent is still a burden,” Peterson admitted.
Pastors Mobilise For 2027
The President of PFSD, Bishop Dr. Amb. Jude Ahkere, called on pastors and citizens to participate actively in the electoral process.
He urged greater voter mobilisation, political awareness and grassroots engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
Chukwunwike similarly emphasised ward-level mobilisation, saying the three-million-vote target could only be achieved through sustained engagement with voters.
The event ended with calls for support for the administrations of Tinubu, Oborevwori and other political leaders.
Representatives of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor Oborevwori and former House of Representatives member Rt. Hon. Godwin Ndudi Elumelu attended the event alongside APC leaders, government officials and political stakeholders.