The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has inaugurated campaign and election management committees for its 11 wards, with a target of delivering at least 100,000 votes for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other party candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The Coordinator of the Ughelli North Campaign and Election Management Committee, Hon. Samuel Mariere, charged the newly inaugurated ward coordinators to mobilise voters in their communities and ensure that the council’s large voter population translates into victory for the APC.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mariere described Ughelli North as “the heartbeat of the Urhobo Nation and Delta State politics,” saying the area had more than 240,000 registered voters. He said the council must deliver a minimum of 100,000 votes in the forthcoming elections, declaring;
“We must turn the tide this time around. We will produce a minimum of 100,000 votes. We have seen that it is achievable, and by the grace of God and with the support of all of you, we will achieve it.”
Mariere said the immediate campaign priority, until January, would be the re-election of President Tinubu, Senator Ede Dafinone and APC candidates for the House of Representatives, while other elective positions would receive attention later.
The campaign coordinator said the party would move beyond rallies and large political gatherings to direct engagement with market women, shop owners, landlords, community leaders and residents.
He urged the coordinators to understand the peculiarities of their respective wards and develop strategies suited to each community. The committees were tasked with coordinating grassroots engagement, voter mobilisation and election-day activities across the 11 wards of the council.
Defending President Tinubu’s second-term ambition, Mariere argued that the South should be allowed to complete two terms in office, just as former President Muhammadu Buhari was allowed to serve two terms. He cited the administration’s economic reforms and the proposed establishment of state police as reasons Nigerians should support Tinubu’s re-election, saying state policing would strengthen security and help address challenges including farmer-herder conflicts.
Mariere commended Governor Oborevwori for infrastructure development across Ughelli North, particularly road construction, flyovers, school rehabilitation and water projects. He cited projects in Otovwodo, Okogbe, Uduere and Evwreni as evidence of the governor’s development efforts.
He also praised the governor for addressing the state’s inherited debt burden, saying the payment of about N400 billion in debt obligations had reduced financial pressure and created room for development. Mariere further highlighted the payment of workers’ salaries and the prompt settlement of retirees’ gratuities and pensions as achievements deserving recognition.
Mariere challenged the people of Ughelli North to move beyond complaints of marginalisation and demonstrate their political relevance through electoral performance,stating that the council must earn greater political consideration by delivering substantial votes to the ruling party, arguing that electoral strength would enhance its bargaining power for appointments, constituency projects and development opportunities in Asaba and Abuja.
“If you are a governor and you have one area that consistently gives you votes and another that does not, where will you prioritise development? We are always complaining that Ughelli North is not developed, but we must first contribute our votes,” he said. Assuring that after the election, no governorship aspirant in Delta State would be able to seek support without coming to Ughelli North, because the council would produce votes “that have never been recorded” in the area.
Recalling the area’s political history, Mariere said prominent figures, including former President Shehu Shagari and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, had visited Ughelli during past election campaigns. He urged the people to restore Ughelli North’s position as a major electoral force, particularly in the old Bendel State political landscape. Mariere also urged the campaign team to see Governor Oborevwori’s political success as a collective interest, citing the governor’s family ties to Ughelli North through his wife and mother-in-law.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Ughelli North APC Campaign Committee, Olorogun Fred Majemite, charged the coordinators to take the party’s message to every part of the council and its agrarian communities, urging them to embark on intensive door-to-door campaigns, insisting that overwhelming votes for the APC would be the best way to show appreciation for the achievements of the party-led governments.
“The APC government has done so much for us, and the only way we can show our appreciation is by ensuring that we vote overwhelmingly for the party,” Majemite said. He said the party wanted not just victory, but a landslide, adding: “Remember, the broom is our symbol. The broom is the symbol of the APC.”
Majemite said remaining in government would enable the people to continue presenting their development needs to President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori.