DCI Media
2027: Delta NDC gov candidate rejects monarchs’ endorsement of Oborevwori
The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Delta State, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye, has rejected Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s endorsement as the “sole candidate” of the Urhobo Nation for the 2027 governorship election, declaring that he will not withdraw from the race.
The Ukoko R’Ivie R’Urhobo, a forum of Urhobo traditional rulers, had endorsed Oborevwori for a second term, but Iyovwaye said the decision could not override the right of Deltans to choose their governor at the ballot.
In a statement on Saturday, the NDC candidate said he respected the traditional rulers but maintained that their endorsement was not a substitute for an election.
“I hold our royal fathers and the exalted institutions they represent in the highest esteem. They are sacred custodians of our history, culture, customs and communal values.
“However, under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the electorate alone has the authority to elect the Governor of Delta State through the ballot box.
“An endorsement, no matter how dignified its source, cannot supersede or extinguish Deltans’ democratic right to choose their leaders,” he said.
Iyovwaye, who described himself as a “dutiful son of Urhobo land”, said the governorship could not be determined through an ethnic consensus because Delta State comprised several ethnic groups.