Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has said civil servants in the state have little reason to vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, pointing to his administration’s 13th-month salary package as a major benefit for workers.
The governor made the remarks on Thursday, October 22, 2026, during the inauguration of the Delta State APC Campaign Council in Asaba, where he also unveiled “MORE Plus” as the theme for his re-election campaign.
Speaking at the event, Oborevwori argued that the additional salary payment would encourage civil servants to support the ruling party at the polls. “Today civil servants have no choice not to vote us. They have no choice. 13th month (salary) is huge, times two,” the governor was quoted as saying.
He explained that eligible workers would receive an additional month’s salary in December, meaning their December pay would amount to twice their regular monthly salary. He said the package covers eligible political appointees and public servants, including civil servants.
Oborevwori announced the 13th-month salary initiative in July 2026 as part of efforts to recognise public servants and improve workers’ welfare.
In September, a bill seeking to establish a legal framework for the annual payment was forwarded to the Delta State House of Assembly. The proposed legislation was intended to formalise the arrangement and provide for a payment equivalent to one gross monthly salary for eligible public servants.
The governor’s latest comments have placed the salary initiative at the centre of the APC’s political messaging ahead of the 2027 elections, with the administration presenting workers’ welfare as one of its achievements.
At the campaign council inauguration, Oborevwori urged party members to take the message of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to communities across Delta State and mobilise voters at ward and polling-unit levels.
He said the party needed to communicate its achievements effectively, adding that the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda focuses on infrastructure, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and security. The event marked another step in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, as party leaders called for coordinated campaigning and stronger grassroots engagement.
The governor’s statement has also raised questions about the relationship between public-sector benefits and political support.
While the 13th-month salary is presented as a workers’ welfare measure, receiving a salary or bonus does not remove an individual’s right to choose which party or candidate to support. Civil servants retain their personal voting rights, and their choices at the ballot box are theirs to make.
As the 2027 elections approach, the salary package is likely to remain part of the political debate in Delta State, particularly as voters assess the policies and records of competing parties.
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