By Ubaka David
In politics, endorsements are rarely just about declarations of support. They are also statements about alliances, development expectations, community interests and the direction political leaders believe will best serve their constituencies. The endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori by the Forum of Presidents-General of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms brings these considerations into sharp focus.
The development is significant not merely because of the stature of the endorsing body, but also because it reinforces the political alignment between the Delta State Government and the Federal Government ahead of the 2027 general election. For Oborevwori, the endorsement represents an opportunity to demonstrate that his decision to align Delta with the All Progressives Congress (APC) is attracting support among influential community stakeholders. For Tinubu, it offers a visible expression of political goodwill from a prominent constituency in the state.
The Forum announced its position during a meeting at its secretariat in Effurun, where it declared support for Tinubu, Oborevwori and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections. Its chairman, Chief Monday Arawore, explained that the organisation’s primary responsibility was to protect the interests of its communities and ensure that residents benefited from government programmes and interventions.
That explanation provides an important insight into the reasoning behind the endorsement. Beyond party affiliation, the forum linked its political position to development, access to government programmes and the pursuit of opportunities for Urhobo communities.
Oborevwori’s decision to align Delta State with the APC has created a new political framework for the relationship between Asaba and Abuja. The Urhobo leaders have now publicly endorsed the logic of that alignment, arguing that stronger cooperation between the two levels of government could advance the interests of the state.
Arawore stated that the forum understood the governor’s decision to work with the political leadership at the centre, particularly its stated objective of strengthening federal partnerships and attracting opportunities for Delta.
This position reflects a familiar consideration in Nigerian federal politics: how state governments can pursue their development priorities through engagement with the Federal Government. Infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and economic development often require coordination across different levels of government, making political and administrative relationships consequential.
For Oborevwori, the endorsement provides an opportunity to reinforce his argument that cooperation with the centre should be assessed in terms of practical benefits to Delta. For Tinubu, the public declaration creates another platform through which supporters of the administration can communicate their confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the ultimate value of such political alignment will depend on tangible outcomes. Residents will reasonably expect that commitments to stronger federal-state relations translate into projects, employment opportunities, improved public services and measurable improvements in their communities.
The Forum of Presidents-General occupies an important place in community-level engagement across Urhobo land. Its declaration is particularly noteworthy because it presents the endorsement as a collective position of leaders representing the 24 kingdoms.
Arawore also linked the forum’s decision to the position of the Forum of Urhobo Traditional Rulers, which had called for unity, peace and support for Oborevwori’s administration.
Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, who represented the governor during the visit, described the presidents-general’s declaration as an affirmation of the position previously taken by traditional rulers.
The sequence illustrates how traditional institutions and community leadership structures can influence political conversations. Royal fathers and community representatives often serve as intermediaries between government and residents, helping to communicate public concerns, encourage dialogue and articulate expectations about development.
Their endorsements can provide political leaders with visibility and a platform for engagement. Yet it is also important to distinguish the formal position of a leadership organisation from the individual choices of every person within the communities it represents. The declaration establishes the forum’s stated position; the breadth of public support will ultimately be reflected in citizens’ participation and electoral decisions.
This distinction does not diminish the political significance of the endorsement. Rather, it places the development within its proper context: an important declaration by organised community leadership, with implications for the political mobilisation taking shape ahead of 2027.
The endorsement also has implications for Tinubu’s political standing in Delta State. By extending its support beyond Oborevwori to the President and other APC candidates, the forum has connected the governor’s state-level political project with the President’s national agenda.
Chief Sunday Onoriode, the State Director of Protocol, said the endorsement covered APC candidates contesting various elective positions in Urhobo land. His remarks suggest an effort to present the declaration as a coordinated political position rather than an isolated expression of support for the governor.
Similarly, Hon. Solomon Igrakpata, Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, described the development as an endorsement of the policies of both the Federal Government and the Delta State administration.
For Tinubu, declarations of support from community leaders can contribute to political goodwill by providing opportunities for supporters to explain why they believe the administration’s policies deserve backing. Such goodwill, however, must be sustained through engagement with public concerns and evidence of progress.
The economic circumstances of households, the availability of jobs, the cost of living, infrastructure delivery and access to public services will remain important considerations for voters. Political endorsements can shape public debate, but they do not remove the responsibility of governments to demonstrate results.
The Urhobo forum expressly pledged support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu and the MORE Agenda of Governor Oborevwori, while urging both administrations to prioritise the welfare and development of the people. This is the central test facing the political alignment.
For the President, the Renewed Hope Agenda provides the framework through which his administration presents its national economic and development priorities. For Oborevwori, the MORE Agenda is the organising framework for his administration’s commitments in Delta State.
The endorsement of Tinubu and Oborevwori by the Forum of Presidents-General of the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms marks a notable development in Delta’s political landscape. It reinforces the governor’s relationship with influential community stakeholders and provides a public demonstration of support for his alignment with the President and the APC.
It also highlights the role of traditional institutions and organised community leadership in shaping political conversations ahead of an election year.
Nevertheless, the declaration should be understood as an important political signal rather than conclusive evidence of how the entire electorate will vote in 2027. Political support is dynamic, and citizens ultimately make their decisions based on their experiences, expectations and assessment of competing choices.
For Oborevwori, the challenge is to convert the goodwill expressed by community leaders into demonstrable development outcomes. For Tinubu, the opportunity is to show that the Federal Government’s engagement with Delta can produce benefits that residents can see and experience. For the Urhobo leadership, the task is to ensure that its endorsement continues to serve the interests of the communities it represents.
Ultimately, the significance of the endorsement will be determined by what follows it. Political alliances may open doors, but effective governance must deliver the results that justify public confidence.
As the 2027 elections approach, the Urhobo declaration has placed federal-state cooperation, community interests and political alignment firmly within Delta’s political conversation. Its lasting impact will depend not simply on the prominence of those who made the declaration, but on whether the promised partnership produces meaningful, inclusive and sustainable development for the people.
• Ubaka David writes from Agbor, Delta State
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