A Rejoinder to “Doubts at the Banquet Hall Asaba”
By: Dr. Festus Goziem Okubor.
Chief Strategist to the Governor.
Asaba
A recent article by one Basil Okoh, titled “Doubts at the Banquet Hall Asaba,” is a cocktail of distortions and deliberate falsehoods intended to undermine the achievements and growing popularity of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. This rejoinder sets the record straight, point by point.
Politics of Fear or Politics of Performance?
The opening claim that a recent Asaba meeting “was driven by fear and exclusion” is a mischievous misrepresentation of a routine strategy session of the Delta APC. Nothing about the meeting was secretive or exclusionary.
It was a legitimate engagement for party alignment and structural consolidation.
“Strategic planning is not secrecy — and inclusive leadership is not fear.”
Governor Oborevwori has consistently built bridges, not barriers. The attempt to twist an ordinary party consultation into a “coven of defectors” reveals the writer’s intent to malign rather than inform.
Omo-Agege’s Silence and Sheriff’s Confidence
The suggestion that Governor Oborevwori is restless because of Ovie Omo-Agege’s silence is laughable. If anything, it is Omo-Agege’s camp that has been thrown into disarray since the Governor’s movement to APC re-energized the party’s grassroots.
Sheriff is not driven by anxiety but by achievement. The APC in Delta State has never been this vibrant, coordinated, and people-driven. The Governor’s political confidence rests on verifiable service delivery and unmatched public acceptance.
Performance Builds Confidence, Not Propaganda
To insinuate that the Governor “lacks confidence in securing the APC ticket” is an absurd contradiction. A governor whose record is transforming Delta daily has no need to chase shadows.
His MORE Agenda — Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security — continues to redefine governance in Delta State. Roads, education, security, and human capital indices have all improved under his leadership.
“Confidence comes from competence. Sheriff’s record in office speaks for itself.”
The Myth of Unpopularity
Contrary to Basil Okoh’s falsehood, Sheriff Oborevwori’s entry into the APC expanded, not reduced, the party’s popularity. From Warri to Agbor, Asaba to Ughelli, party membership has surged because Deltans see results, not rhetoric, not chor chor chor.
The truth is simple: Sheriff has become the new face of political inclusion and development in Delta State.
Tinubu’s Name Is Not a Crutch
It is deceitful to claim that the Governor “rides on Tinubu’s coattails.” Governor Sheriff Oborevwori enjoys a cordial and respectful relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu based on shared development priorities — not political dependency.
The Governor’s alignment with the federal center was a strategic, patriotic move to ensure that Delta, Nigeria’s highest oil-revenue contributor, receives proportional federal attention and benefits.
“Sheriff’s movement into APC was not opportunism — it was statesmanship.”
No Division in Delta APC
There is no “Sobotie/Sheriff faction.” The Delta APC today is more united than ever. The only faction exists in the imagination of paid commentators who thrive on division.
Under Sheriff’s watch, old and new members have found common ground, proving that leadership anchored on respect and results attracts cohesion, not conflict.
The Real Fear: Sheriff’s Rising Profile
Those accusing the Governor of fear are, in truth, the ones afraid — afraid of a man who has redefined political strength through unity, humility, and delivery.
“The only fear in Delta politics today is the fear of Sheriff’s unstoppable popularity.”
His developmental strides have consolidated public trust across the state’s three senatorial districts. Every ward, every community, now sees governance in action.
The Edo Analogy Is Baseless
The writer’s lazy attempt to compare Delta’s evolving APC structure with the Obaseki episode in Edo is both misleading and ill-informed. Sheriff is not an outsider seeking shelter; he is the performing governor of Delta, whose governance model has earned the people’s trust and the party’s respect.
What the Hatchet Writers Won’t Admit
The article’s bitter tone betrays panic from those whose political relevance fades daily as Delta’s APC becomes stronger under Sheriff. The goal of such propaganda is to sow discord and create a false impression of crisis where there is none.
But Deltans know better. The people have seen more development in the past months than they saw in years before. The facts speak — and the people hear them loud and clear.
Sheriff’s Delta: Facts, Not Fiction
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has surpassed expectations in service delivery, peacebuilding, and infrastructure renewal. From Asaba’s modernization to Warri’s rejuvenation and Agbor’s transformation, his projects are not promises — they are realities.
No amount of mischievous commentary can dim the light of visible progress.
“Delta’s new story is not written by hatchet pens — it is written by roads, bridges, jobs, and hope.”
Final Word: Let Sheriff and Ovie Be
It is time for paid propagandists to stop trying to pit people against one another. Both Sheriff and Ovie Omo-Agege are leaders in Delta politics. APC’s future in the state depends on unity, not manufactured quarrels.
A party does not win elections by being cantankerous. Sheriff brings immense value, credibility, and performance power to the APC. Those who cannot match his achievements should, at least, respect them.
In the end, performance trumps propaganda.
Delta APC stands united. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori stands tall. And the people stand firmly with him.
