As a Patriot and Political Leader in Delta State, I here wish to fully express support for my dear Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, if indeed he seeks to move from PDP to APC or any registered Political Party in Nigeria, as long as any such move helps him to fully actualise his Patriotic Vision and Mission for the good people of Delta State. After all, Delta State with over four million people is made up of people who freely belong to PDP, APC, LP, PRP and other registered Political Parties; moreover, many of the founding leaders of PDP in the State have since moved on to join other Political Parties which have brought more Dividends to our State and People.

What is of paramount interest and importance to the good people of Delta State is the very urgent provision of massive Infrastructural Revolution in terms of Roads, Bridges, Flyovers, Underpasses, Hospitals, Schools and other important Public Buildings, all of international standards like the ongoing flyovers being constructed by Julius Berger in the State under the leadership of the Governor.

In addition, I must remind Deltans that all registered Political Parties in Nigeria today do not have distinct Ideologies but only serve as platforms for States or individual in Politics to maximise what can be got from a Centralized Federal Government of Nigeria. The secret of Lagos State getting all the benefits it attracts from the Centralised Federal Government is the fact that its Political Leader, now President Tinubu, understood very clearly the need to politically align and realign with the Power at the Centre in order to actualise the Vision he set out for Lagos State. 

As a result, today, Lagos State has grown and developed to be the forth largest Economy in Africa and boasts of Annual Budget of over three trillion naira. Let it be made clear also that Lagos State never at any time since May 29, 1999, played a blind and unwise Opposition Politics, contrary to what many are misled to believe.

The case of my Delta State has been a very sad story of steady retrogression despite being the leading Petroleum Producing State of Nigeria. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) that were once based in the Oil Cities of Warri and Effurun, have all relocated to Lagos State that is a non-Petroleum Producing State, taking along with them, huge Revenues from Taxes that belonged to Delta State. Thousands of our people employed by these IOCs lost their jobs as a result of the relocation to Lagos.

This sad situation happened because political leaders of Delta State failed to understand the importance of politically aligning and realigning with the Centralised Power at Abuja in order to protect and advance the general interests of our people of Delta State.

In conclusion, I stand firmly with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, if he decides to align with the current Federal Government at the Centre for the overriding interest and good of the people of Delta State.

Comrade (Engr) Igbini Odafe Emmanuel

Former three times Governorship Candidate of Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Delta State (2007 - 2012)