A Governor’s Vision, A People’s Gain: Sheriff Oborevwori Named Leadership’s Governor of the Year 2025

In a year marked by economic headwinds and the weight of high public expectation, Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has been distinguished as a standout performer. On Thursday, he was conferred with the Governor of the Year 2025 Award by Leadership Newspapers, an honour recognising his transformative impact on infrastructure and his inclusive, citizen-centred governance model.

The accolade was presented at the 18th Leadership Annual Conference and Awards, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja. Governor Oborevwori was represented at the ceremony by his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme.

The MORE Agenda in Action

Leadership Newspapers described the award as a testament to Oborevwori’s ability to translate his signature MORE Agenda—focused on meaningful development, opportunity for all, realistic reforms, and enhanced peace and security—into visible, tangible progress across Delta State.

“Hundreds of road projects and landmark flyovers have improved mobility and boosted commerce across the three senatorial districts,” the organisation noted, pointing to a deliberate strategy of opening up rural and urban communities alike.

But the recognition went beyond concrete and asphalt. The citation also applauded strategic investments in human capital: the rehabilitation of schools, sustained recruitment of educational personnel, and consistent bursary disbursements. In healthcare, the administration has expanded physical infrastructure while deepening health insurance coverage—widening the safety net for vulnerable Deltans.

The judges further highlighted the governor’s empowerment programmes, which have reached hundreds of thousands of citizens, alongside early implementation of the new national minimum wage—a move that underscores the administration’s commitment to worker welfare. Together, these interventions, according to the organisers, reflect a governance model that “balances compassion with responsibility while promoting equity, consistency and long-term stability anchored on fiscal prudence.”

A League of Excellence

Governor Oborevwori was honoured in the company of an elite group of state executives, including Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Uba Sani (Kaduna). Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was named Person of the Year 2025.

Recognition as Encouragement

Speaking with journalists shortly after receiving the award, Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme dedicated the honour to the people of Delta State.

“I thank Deltans for the huge support they have been giving to this administration. It is because of their support that we have been able to achieve all we have achieved,” he said. “I thank God that our efforts are being recognised across the nation.”

He reeled out a scorecard of visible development: road networks, bridges, market rehabilitation, healthcare facilities, and sustained investment in the state’s four public universities. For him, the award is not merely a trophy—it is fuel.

“This recognition serves as an encouragement for us to do even more in delivering the dividends of democracy,” Onyeme said.

A Call to Reflection and Action

The event was not solely ceremonial. In a pointed keynote address, the Chairman of the Occasion and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, framed the conference theme—Political Stability and Sustainable Development in Africa in an Increasingly Unstable Global System: A Roadmap for Nigeria—within the urgent realities confronting the continent and the global community. His address served as a sobering reminder of the fragility of progress and the need for principled leadership.

Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs. Zainab Nda-Isaiah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Leadership Newspapers, underscored the conference’s dual purpose: to foster substantive dialogue on national development and to celebrate Nigerians whose work has moved the nation forward.

“These awards recognise innovation, commitment, and consistent service,” she said. “Today, we honour those who have turned vision into value for the common good.”

For Delta State, the Leadership Award is more than a citation—it is a mirror reflecting how far deliberate, disciplined governance can take a people. And if the trajectory holds, the road ahead promises even more.