“YOU CAN’T COLLECT 13TH MONTH SALARY AND VOTE AGAINST APC” — OBOREVWORI

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has declared that no civil servant in the state will vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 polls because of his administration’s 13th month salary package, arguing that the welfare measure has tied the fate of workers to the continuity of his government.

The declaration was made on Thursday in Asaba during the inauguration of the Delta State APC Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections, where he unveiled “MORE Plus” as the theme of his re-election campaign .

THE DECLARATION

Oborevwori, who is the chairman of the campaign council, was unequivocal about the political implications of the salary package.

“Today civil servants have no choice not to vote us. They have no choice. 13th month (salary) is huge, times two. Some people don’t understand what 13th month,” he said .

He explained the mechanics of the payment. “What you’re receiving now is times two in December. That is the meaning of 13th month. Whether you’re an appointee, whether a public servant, whether a civil servant, you’re receiving your 13th month”.

THE CAMPAIGN CHARGE

Oborevwori charged members of the council to take President Bola Tinubu’s message to the grassroots and mobilise voters across units and wards.

He described membership of the council as a call to service, urging members to work with unity, discipline and dedication to secure victory for President Tinubu, himself and other APC candidates.

“Our achievements must speak for us, but we must also be prepared to explain them convincingly,” he said, urging members to communicate the impact of government policies and his M.O.R.E Agenda focusing on infrastructure, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and security.

THE BROADER CAMPAIGN

Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, commended Oborevwori for aligning Delta with the Federal Government, urging party faithful to consolidate the gains.

Onyeme said: “We must publicise Tinubu’s achievements in areas such as local government autonomy, education funding, grassroots development, security, electricity and road infrastructure”.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, defended Tinubu’s economic reforms. Keyamo argued that difficult decisions were necessary to address the country’s economic challenges, saying the reforms had caused temporary hardship but were intended to address underlying problems, including the unsustainable cost of fuel subsidies .

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THE PARTY’S READINESS

Delta APC Chairman, Chief Solomon Arenyeka, said the inauguration demonstrated the party’s readiness to contest and win elections at all levels in 2027.

Former Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who spoke for Delta North, said expectations were high following the state’s mass defection from PDP to APC in April 2025.

Okowa urged the council to demonstrate strength through impressive electoral performance, stressing the need to reach voters directly rather than rely solely on rallies .

WHY IT MATTERS

Oborevwori’s statement is a blunt admission of the transactional nature of Nigerian politics.

The 13th month salary is a welfare measure, but the governor is explicitly framing it as a political instrument—a reason why workers should vote for the APC.

Whether Delta workers see it that way is another matter. A salary package is not a permanent allegiance, and voters have been known to accept benefits from one party while voting for another.

But Oborevwori’s confidence reflects the reality of incumbency: when you control the purse strings, you have leverage.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Delta APC campaign council has been inaugurated. The 2027 election will test whether the 13th month salary translates into votes.