By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
The Delta State Chapter of the Amalgamated APC Support Groups (AASG) has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for second terms in office, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group also pledged to mobilise support for all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at both state and national levels during the elections.
The endorsement was made on Friday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, during the maiden World Press Briefing and formal unveiling of the Delta State chapter of AASG.
Speaking at the event, the State Coordinator of AASG, Comrade Amb. Eroghene Prosper Ogagah, said the group was established to strengthen grassroots mobilisation, promote civic awareness and provide effective communication between political leadership and citizens.
Ogagah, who welcomed the South-South Zonal Coordinator of AASG, Comrade Amb. Chukwuemeka Emmanuel, and other members of the state executive and APC stakeholders, said Nigeria was passing through a critical period that required responsible leadership and understanding of the reforms being implemented by the Tinubu administration.
He acknowledged the economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians but argued that the Federal Government’s reforms were necessary to address longstanding structural problems in the country’s economy.
According to him, the removal of fuel subsidy, unification of the foreign exchange market, student loan initiatives, increased investment in infrastructure and energy, as well as social intervention programmes, were among measures aimed at laying the foundation for long-term economic stability.
“The reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are not acts of convenience; they are acts of necessity,” Ogagah said.
He urged Nigerians to look beyond the immediate difficulties associated with the reforms and consider their long-term implications.
The AASG coordinator also commended Governor Oborevwori’s administration for what he described as its practical approach to governance under the MORE Agenda.
He listed road construction and rehabilitation, flyover projects, youth empowerment and skills development, grassroots-oriented initiatives and strategic infrastructure development among the areas he said the administration had focused on.
Ogagah particularly highlighted the recently organised Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, which he said had created opportunities for local and foreign investment.
He also cited the unveiling of a $100 million viability gap funding initiative for investors as a development capable of attracting investments and creating employment opportunities for young people across the state.
Responding to questions on how AASG differs from other political support groups, Ogagah said the organisation’s major strength was its structure and continuity.
Flanked by his deputy, Chief Chukwuma Frank; South-South Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Amb. Chukwuka Emmanuel; State Secretary, Comrade Austin Omowho; Welfare/Media Coordinator, Comrade Mrs. Akanigha Rachael; Grassroots Mobilisation Coordinator, Hon. Gift Otowa; Miss Enede Rachael and Nwador Mariam, Ogagah said the group was inaugurated and adopted by the APC in September 2022, before the 2023 general elections.
He said the organisation had maintained its structure since then and currently had a presence across the 36 states of the federation, including local government areas, wards and polling units.
“In Delta State, we are covering all 25 local government areas, all wards and units. We are not just here because we want to be known. We are here to work,” he said.
Ogagah disclosed that the group had participated in APC membership registration and voter registration mobilisation, adding that it planned to intensify its grassroots activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said AASG was targeting the mobilisation of more than 10,000 voters in Delta State for President Tinubu, Governor Oborevwori and other APC candidates.
The coordinator also disclosed that the Delta chapter had largely financed its activities independently since its establishment.
Responding to a question on how the group had sustained its extensive structure without regular financial mobilisation from the party, Ogagah said the organisation had been self-funded.
“Right from 2022, we’ve not gotten mobilisation from the party and we are still existing. So we have been funding ourselves,” he said.
He maintained that the group’s ability to sustain its activities despite the financial challenges demonstrated the commitment of its members to the organisation and the APC.
‘Reforms Are Painful, But Necessary’
On why AASG continued to support the APC government despite the economic hardship Nigerians are facing, Ogagah acknowledged that the reforms had imposed significant pressure on citizens, including members of the support group.
“We’re not denying the fact that the reforms are harsh. Neither are we denying the fact that it is biting on us. The economy is harsh and it is biting on us. It is biting on me as well,” he said.
He, however, argued that the difficulties should be viewed within the context of correcting longstanding economic problems.
“If we must treat a wound, we should be able to surrender ourselves for treatment,” Ogagah said, insisting that the problems being addressed by the Tinubu administration had accumulated over several decades.
He expressed confidence that the reforms would produce long-term benefits if sustained, urging Nigerians to remain patient and supportive of efforts to restructure the country’s economy.
Earlier in his speech, Ogagah said the unveiling of AASG in Delta was not merely a political ceremony but a renewed commitment to grassroots engagement.
He said the group would focus on mobilising voters, promoting civic participation, strengthening communication between government and citizens and ensuring that information about government policies reached communities.
He also called on the media to report political and governance issues responsibly, urging journalists to present both the challenges confronting citizens and the efforts being made by government to address them.
“We remain committed. We remain focused. And we remain confident in the future of our nation and our state,” Ogagah declared.
The event marked the formal unveiling of the Delta State structure of AASG as the group begins its grassroots mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
