‘You Can’t Take 13th-Month Pay & Vote Against APC,’ Oborevwori Tells Delta Workers
2027: Oborevwori Links Delta Workers’ 13th-Month Salary to APC Re-election Bid
DELTA State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has expressed confidence that the state’s 13th-month salary package will strengthen workers’ support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
He made the remarks on Thursday in Asaba during the inauguration of the Delta State APC Campaign Council. At the event, he also unveiled “MORE Plus” as the theme of his re-election campaign.
Oborevwori, who chairs the council, suggested that the additional salary would make civil servants more likely to support his administration’s continuation.
“Today civil servants have no choice not to vote us. They have no choice. 13th month (salary) is huge, times two,” he said.
Explaining the package, the governor said workers would receive double their regular pay in December. He added that political appointees, public servants and civil servants would benefit.
However, his remarks raised a broader question about the relationship between workers’ welfare and political choice. While additional remuneration may influence voters’ assessment of a government, public employees retain the right to make independent decisions at the ballot box.
Beyond the salary issue, Oborevwori urged campaign council members to take President Bola Tinubu’s message to communities across the state. He called for sustained mobilisation in wards and polling units to secure victory for Tinubu, himself and other APC candidates.
The governor described the campaign assignment as a call to service. Consequently, he urged party members to work with unity, discipline and dedication.
He also challenged campaigners to explain the achievements of the Federal Government and his administration convincingly. In particular, he highlighted the M.O.R.E Agenda, which focuses on infrastructure, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and security.
Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme praised Oborevwori for aligning Delta State with the Federal Government. He urged party faithful to publicise Tinubu’s initiatives on local government autonomy, education funding, grassroots development, security, electricity and road infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo defended the Federal Government’s economic reforms. He argued that difficult decisions were necessary to address longstanding economic challenges, including the cost of fuel subsidies, while acknowledging that the changes had caused temporary hardship.
Delta APC Chairman Chief Solomon Arenyeka said the campaign council’s inauguration demonstrated the party’s readiness to contest and win elections at every level in 2027.
Former Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, speaking for Delta North, noted that expectations were high following Delta State’s mass defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in April 2025. He urged campaign officials to engage voters directly rather than depend exclusively on rallies.
For Delta Central, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor pledged support for the re-election campaigns of Tinubu and Oborevwori. Similarly, former Secretary to the State Government Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay said the state administration’s record would support the party’s campaign and promised substantial votes from Delta South.
Campaign Council Director-General Senator James Manager also pledged to work with party leaders and members. He described the assignment as demanding and stressed the need for collective effort and sustained grassroots mobilisation.
As the 2027 elections approach, the APC will seek to turn its welfare policies and record in government into electoral support. Nevertheless, the final decision rests with voters, including public servants whose salaries and working conditions form part of the broader debate over government performance.
