Mulade Speaks on Budget as Ijaws Prepare to Endorse Governor Oborevwori for 2027
By Tessy Ogbemi
As preparations heighten ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Delta State, a prominent Ijaw leader and peace advocate, Comrade (Chief) Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has declared that the Ijaw nation’s political support will depend on the allocation and full funding of riverine projects in the state’s 2026 budget.
Mulade, who is the Ibe-Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, made this declaration during a press briefing in Warri after an expanded meeting of Ijaw stakeholders across Delta State.
According to the renowned human and environmental rights activist, the adequate inclusion and funding of projects in riverine communities, predominantly inhabited by the Ijaw and Itsekiri peoples, will be the major determinant for political endorsement and votes ahead of 2027.
“I want to sincerely appreciate His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for his infrastructural development, which I describe as an infrastructural revolution in the upland areas of Delta State,” Mulade stated.
“However, it is imperative to note that similar attention has not been extended to the riverine areas, despite their population density and enormous contributions to the state’s revenue as hosts to multinational oil and gas companies.”
Mulade expressed concern that communities such as Ogulagha, Torugbene, Oporoza, Akugbene, and Ojobo—though more densely populated than some upland local government headquarters—have remained underdeveloped under the pretext of “terrain challenges.”
He commended the governor’s plan to commission the reconstructed Odimodi-Ogulagha Road, originally built by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in the 1980s, describing it as a step in the right direction, but urged for more tangible actions to address decades of neglect in the riverine axis.
“These communities have provided an enabling environment for oil and gas production, contributing immensely to Delta’s wealth. It is time for the governor to reciprocate this goodwill through the 2026 budget with legacy projects that will transform the riverine areas,” he asserted.
The Ijaw leader reminded Governor Oborevwori of the unflinching support the Ijaws gave him during the 2023 elections, stressing that the same level of commitment will be repeated only if their developmental needs are addressed.
“We have created a peaceful atmosphere for economic stability, supported security, and reduced restiveness. The governor must now demonstrate fairness by ensuring budgetary inclusion and development for the Ijaw nation,” he added.
Dr. Mulade also listed key projects the Ijaw people expect in the upcoming budget, including:
Ayakoromo Bridge Project
Omadino–Okerenkoko–Kokodiagbene–Escravos Road
Aladja–Ogbe-Ijoh Road
Ojobo–Torugbene Road
Construction of a first-class General Hospital in Ogulagha Town
On education, he called on Governor Oborevwori to upgrade the moribund Delta State Maritime Polytechnic, Burutu, into a campus of the Delta State University, Abraka, to harness opportunities in the emerging blue economy.
He also appealed for the establishment of a Dennis Osadebe University campus in Koko, with a focus on agricultural development to benefit the Itsekiri people and the entire state.
“Every ethnic group in Delta State hosts a state university except the Ijaws and Itsekiris. Addressing this gap will not only promote inclusiveness but also drive academic and economic growth in the riverine areas,” he said.
Concluding, Mulade emphasized that the Ijaw nation’s endorsement of Governor Oborevwori for 2027 will be tied to visible development commitments in the forthcoming budget.
“The inclusion of these revolutionary projects in the 2026 budget will give our people a true sense of belonging and write the governor’s name in gold—not just during elections, but in the history of Delta’s development,” he declared confidently.
