The Ukoko r’ Ivie r’ Urhobo, the forum of Urhobo traditional rulers, has adopted the incumbent Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as the sole candidate of the Urhobo Nation for the 2027 governorship election.
The traditional rulers announced the decision at a press briefing held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie.
The forum said the decision was aimed at preserving the unity of the Urhobo Nation and de-escalating what it described as rising political tension, hostility and thuggery ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking on behalf of the forum, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom and Chairman of Ukoko r’ Ivie r’ Urhobo, HRM Dr. Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe 1, JP, OON, said traditional rulers could not remain silent when political developments threatened the peace, security and social harmony of the Urhobo people.
According to him, the forum had recently observed increasing political tension across Urhobo land and consequently convened a consultative meeting with Urhobo sons contesting the governorship election on different political platforms.
He said the traditional rulers used the meeting to counsel the aspirants on the need to prioritise peace, restraint, unity and brotherhood.
The forum acknowledged that every Urhobo son and daughter has the constitutional right to aspire to political office, but said such ambitions should not be allowed to undermine the unity of the people.
The traditional rulers therefore said they had advised all Urhobo governorship aspirants to set aside their individual ambitions and support Oborevwori, whom they described as an “illustrious son of the Urhobo Nation.”
“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,” the statement said.
The forum subsequently called on Urhobo sons and daughters to vote massively for the governor in the 2027 election.
The traditional rulers argued that Urhobo should emulate the political unity they said was often displayed by other senatorial districts when it was their turn to produce the governor of the state.
They said dividing the Urhobo vote unnecessarily could undermine the collective political interest of the people.
The forum further declared that its decision applied to all sons and daughters of Urhobo Nation, whether or not they were present at the consultative meeting.
The traditional rulers, however, reiterated that their primary responsibility remained the promotion of peace, unity, cultural heritage and development of the Urhobo Nation.
The statement was also signed by the Ovie of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom and Secretary of Ukoko r’ Ivie r’ Urhobo Nation, HRM Amb. Dr. Richard Oghenevwogaga Ebelle Okoroefe I.
