Agboje Chuks
AGBOR, DELTA STATE — Mrs. Ogor Tony-Obuh, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Ika South Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, has urged Nigerians to break the cycle of bad governance by actively utilizing the power of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Mrs. Tony-Obuh, wife of the late 2015 Delta State governorship aspirant, made this passionate call today, June 12, 2026, during a press briefing at her Agbor residence in observance of Democracy Day.
Addressing journalists, the House of Assembly hopeful noted that the current state of the nation offers little room for celebration. Instead, she argued, it calls for deep reflection and urgent, collective action.
She reiterated that Nigeria is currently battling severe macroeconomic headwinds, emphasizing that a biting cost-of-living crisis, worsened by stagflation, has deeply impacted everyday citizens.
She further pointed out that a series of poorly planned fiscal reforms and escalating public debt were clear signs of systemic mismanagement.
Mrs. Tony-Obuh emphasized that these ongoing economic hardships, paired with leadership failures at various levels of governance, make it imperative for citizens to prepare for the 2027 general elections.
”While it is natural for Nigerians to lament the effects of poor governance, lamentation alone will not fix our broken systems,” she stated.
“The only language that bad leaders understand is the ballot. We must prepare to take back our country using the constitutional powers available to us.”
The NDC candidate also highlighted the severe security vulnerabilities plaguing the country, explicitly citing the alarming rise in kidnapping, banditry, and other social vices across both regional and national landscapes.
She attributed these structural failures to a deep-seated political culture of godfatherism, which she argued prioritizes political patronage over competence and public safety.
To illustrate her point, she drew attention to recent tragic events across the federation—most notably the horrific mid-May coordinated attacks on schools in the Oriire Local Government Area, where scores of innocent schoolchildren were marched into the forests and a dedicated teacher was brutally murdered.
Giving voice to the quiet trauma shared by millions of Nigerian parents on what is meant to be a day of democratic celebration, Mrs. Tony-Obuh delivered a sobering rebuke of the status quo:
”Today is Democracy Day. But as we speak, our children are living in the bush, forcefully abducted while sitting in their classrooms. This is deeply worrisome,” she said.
“How can we comfortably celebrate democracy when even a schoolteacher can be beheaded by bandits? What exactly are we celebrating?”
Looking ahead to the upcoming political cycle, Mrs. Tony-Obuh reiterated her unyielding commitment to delivering transparent, accessible, and effective legislative representation to the people of Ika South when elected in 2027.
Urged the electorate, particularly the youth, to resist voter apathy, ensure they are fully registered, and safely guard their PVCs as their definitive weapon for systemic change.
