Ebenezer Adurokiya, Warri
The Urhobo Traditional Rulers Forum, known as Ukoko r’ Ivie r’ Urhobo, has adopted the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orhovwedor Oborevwori, as the sole candidate of the Urhobo Nation for the 2027 governorship election.
The monarchs announced the decision on Thursday, September 10, 2026, during a press briefing held at the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the forum, HRM Dr Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe 1, JP, OON, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, and its Secretary, HRM Amb. Dr Richard Oghenevwogaga Ebelle Okoroefe I, Ovie of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom, the traditional rulers said their intervention was motivated by growing political tension, hostility and alleged thuggery across Urhobo land.
The monarchs stressed that traditional rulers remained strictly apolitical but said they could not remain silent when political developments threatened the security, well-being and social harmony of their people.
“As custodians of our culture and heritage, our primary commitment remains the unity, peace and progress of the Urhobo Nation,” the statement said.
The traditional rulers said they had convened a consultative meeting with Urhobo governorship aspirants across various political parties to counsel them on the need for peace, restraint and brotherhood ahead of the 2027 election.
They acknowledged that every Urhobo man and woman had a constitutional right to aspire to the highest political offices in the country.
However, the forum argued that, because the incumbent governor is “an illustrious son of the Urhobo Nation”, efforts to promote division, rivalry and political thuggery within the Urhobo domain would amount to a disservice to the collective unity and progress of the people.
The monarchs said they had therefore advised all Urhobo sons contesting the 2027 governorship election to set aside their individual ambitions and rally behind Governor Oborevwori.
“The decision of the Forum is that we, the Traditional Rulers of Urhobo Nation have adopted the Executive Governor, Rt. Hon. Elder Chief Sheriff Francis Orhovwedor Oborovori as the sole candidate of Urhobo Nation for the 2027 Governorship Election for his unprecedented development across Delta State,” they said.
The forum subsequently called on all sons and daughters of the Urhobo Nation to vote massively for the governor at the election.
The monarchs said their decision was also informed by what they described as a tradition of political solidarity among the three senatorial districts of Delta State.
They observed that whenever it was the turn of Delta South or Delta North to produce the governor, people from those areas traditionally united behind their preferred candidate rather than dividing their votes.
The traditional rulers therefore urged the Urhobo Nation to maintain unity and avoid unnecessary division of its votes.
They further declared that the decision applied to all Urhobo sons and daughters, whether or not they were present at the consultative meeting.
For a better society
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