Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has dismissed allegations that the large crowds attending the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaigns in the state are rented, insisting that the growing support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is a reflection of public appreciation for their performance.
Aniagwu, who spoke during an appearance on TVC’s *Politics Tonight*, said the crowds witnessed at the governor’s political engagements across the state were organic and made up of residents who voluntarily turned out to identify with the administration.
He cited new projects in Warri South-West Local Government Area as an example, noting that the Oborevwori administration had executed several development projects that had transformed the area and improved the relationship between government and the people.
According to him, the governor’s inclusive approach to governance, coupled with visible development projects across the 25 local government areas, has strengthened public confidence in his administration.
“Whenever the governor arrives at these gatherings, you see the excitement, the applause and the enthusiasm of the people. These are not characteristics of rented crowds. Our people come out because they appreciate what the government is doing,” he said.
The commissioner maintained that the political atmosphere in Delta had changed considerably since the 2023 general election, arguing that President Tinubu’s emergence and subsequent implementation of economic policies had created a different political reality.
He explained that Tinubu was a presidential candidate in 2023 and had not had the opportunity to implement policies whose impact could be assessed by Nigerians at the time. The situation, he said, was different now that the President had been in office and his administration’s decisions were beginning to produce measurable outcomes.
Aniagwu also pointed to the political realignment in Delta, where Governor Oborevwori and several former PDP leaders have joined the APC, as a significant development that could influence the state’s political direction ahead of the 2027 elections.
He argued that the alignment between the Federal Government and the Delta State Government had enabled the state to benefit from national policies and translate them into development projects and social intervention programmes.
The commissioner expressed confidence that the relationship between both administrations would strengthen the APC’s electoral fortunes in the state.
He said the Oborevwori administration had demonstrated fiscal discipline and pragmatism in implementing policies, adding that the benefits of the Federal Government’s reforms were being complemented by development initiatives at the state level.
Aniagwu particularly highlighted Delta’s third-month salary payment policy, which he said had been backed by legislation to guarantee its sustainability beyond the tenure of the present administration.
He explained that the arrangement went beyond paying workers their basic salaries, as public servants receive the additional payment on the same basis as their regular monthly salaries.
On the APC’s manifesto and its promise of translating reforms into shared prosperity, Aniagwu said the true value of any manifesto should be measured by its implementation rather than the promises contained in it.
He said the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Delta’s MORE Agenda were both designed to improve living conditions, create opportunities and strengthen economic development.
According to him, the Tinubu administration inherited structural economic challenges that required difficult decisions and fundamental reforms, although some of the measures initially attracted public criticism.
Using the removal of petroleum subsidy as an example, Aniagwu argued that one major improvement had been the increased availability of petrol, compared with the scarcity experienced before the current administration.
He recalled that Nigerians previously faced a situation in which petrol was not readily available and, when it could be found, sold at exorbitant prices, sometimes reaching N2,000 per litre.
He acknowledged that affordability remained a major concern but expressed optimism that the reforms, alongside measures to improve purchasing power, would gradually ease the burden on households.
The commissioner also disclosed that the Delta State Government was preparing to commence another social investment programme following its approval by the State Executive Council.
He said the initiative would provide support to 50,000 Deltans, as part of the administration’s efforts to make funds available to residents and improve their economic circumstances.
Aniagwu maintained that the Oborevwori administration’s development programmes, combined with the Federal Government’s economic reforms, had strengthened the basis for the state’s support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
He insisted that the APC was confident of its prospects across Delta’s 25 local government areas, adding that the party intended to build on the goodwill generated by the performance of both governments.
