Grassroots Momentum Builds for 2027 as Smart Movement for Sheriff Launches with Mass Empowerment in Delta

By Political Desk, NOL24 TV (Media Cathedral)

OGWASHI-UKU, DELTA STATE — Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, received a significant political boost on Wednesday as the Commissioner for Technical Education, Hon. Smart Ijeoma Ufoh, formally launched the Smart Movement for Sheriff (SMS) 2027 in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, combining the political inauguration with a broad-based empowerment programme aimed at strengthening grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The event, which attracted an impressive gathering of political leaders, government officials, traditional rulers, women and youth groups, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and residents from across Aniocha South, underscored what party leaders described as a growing grassroots mobilisation behind Governor Oborevwori’s second-term ambition.

Far from being a conventional political rally, the inauguration was marked by tangible economic intervention as 12 grinding machines, 11 sewing machines and cash grants amounting to ₦1.65 million were distributed to beneficiaries to promote entrepreneurship and economic self-reliance.

Representing Governor Oborevwori, the APC Chairman for Delta North Senatorial District, Chief Moses Iduh, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of leadership that directly addresses the everyday needs of ordinary citizens.
According to him, governance should extend beyond electoral victories to delivering measurable improvements in people’s lives through purposeful empowerment.

“Politics must not end at winning elections. It must translate into meaningful interventions that improve the welfare of our people. There are citizens whose lives can be transformed by assistance as little as ₦50,000 or ₦100,000. Every leader should empower the people because when people prosper, the party grows stronger,” Iduh stated.
He commended Hon. Smart Ufoh for complementing Governor Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda through community-based empowerment and urged political office holders across Delta State to adopt similar initiatives capable of creating lasting economic impact.

Chief Iduh also used the occasion to call for reconciliation within the APC in Aniocha South, urging party leaders and supporters to set aside past political disagreements and unite behind the party’s candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Describing Governor Oborevwori as a people-oriented and youth-friendly leader, he expressed confidence that the administration would continue delivering development projects across every part of the state.

Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Smart Ijeoma Ufoh said the Smart Movement for Sheriff was founded out of a deep conviction in Governor Oborevwori’s leadership and the developmental strides recorded under the MORE Agenda.
According to the commissioner, the movement seeks to consolidate grassroots support by taking the administration’s achievements directly to communities while expanding political participation across Aniocha South.

He highlighted infrastructure development, education reforms, healthcare improvements, youth empowerment and rural development as evidence of the governor’s commitment to inclusive governance.
Speaking from his perspective as Commissioner for Technical Education, Ufoh said Governor Oborevwori has placed exceptional emphasis on preparing young people for the future through sustained investment in technical and vocational education.

“As Commissioner for Technical Education, I have witnessed firsthand the governor’s passion for skills development. Technical colleges are being upgraded, equipment is being provided and policies are being implemented to ensure our youths acquire practical skills that will make them globally competitive,” he said.

He explained that the empowerment programme reflected the movement’s belief that sustainable political leadership must also create economic opportunities capable of improving livelihoods.
Calling for intensified grassroots mobilisation, Ufoh charged coordinators and members of the Smart Movement to take the governor’s achievements to every ward and community while rallying support for the APC.

“Our mission is clear. Our target is Five-over-Five. From the Presidency to the Governorship, the Senate, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly, Aniocha South must stand united for the APC,” he declared.
The event also drew endorsements from several political leaders.
The APC House of Representatives candidate for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, praised Ufoh for establishing what he described as a strategic grassroots platform capable of strengthening public confidence in Governor Oborevwori’s administration.
Elumelu joined other dignitaries in presenting vocational equipment and cash grants to beneficiaries, describing the initiative as responsive leadership that connects governance with the needs of the people.

Similarly, the Delta State Commissioner for Riverine Infrastructure, Hon. Ebikeme Clark, commended the Smart Movement for translating political mobilisation into practical support for ordinary citizens.
According to Clark, the initiative represents an effective model for strengthening the APC’s grassroots structures while expanding support for the party ahead of the 2027 polls.

For many beneficiaries, however, the programme represented more than politics.
One of the recipients, Pastor Mrs. Justina Agwueze, who serves as the Smart Movement Coordinator for Ward 3, described the empowerment as life-changing after receiving a grinding machine.
She pledged to use the equipment to improve her family’s livelihood while providing free grinding services to elderly women within her community as a gesture of appreciation.
Agwueze also committed herself to mobilising support for Governor Oborevwori and the APC during the 2027 electioneering campaign.
As the event concluded, party leaders renewed calls for unity across the APC and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding grassroots mobilisation throughout Delta State.

With political mobilisation increasingly shifting from campaign rhetoric to community-based empowerment, the launch of the Smart Movement for Sheriff 2027 signals what observers see as an early effort to consolidate support structures ahead of the state’s next electoral cycle.
The combination of political organisation, economic empowerment and grassroots engagement is expected to feature prominently in the APC’s strategy as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum across Delta State.