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VICTOR OCHEI 2027: A NEW VISION FOR A SECURE, PRODUCTIVE AND PROSPEROUS DELTA NORTH

Published

1 month ago

September 28, 2026

Joel Ajayi

Security. Agriculture. Infrastructure. Electricity. Enterprise. Opportunity.

I had already committed myself to the ideals of leadership, service, grassroots development, and the pursuit of a better society for our people, a political leadership that evolves to reflect inclusion, mutual respect, fairness, and the aspirations of the people.

The people of Delta North deserve better than recycled leadership. They deserve a senator who will fight for their interests with the energy and determination that the challenges of the 21st century demand. This is the senatorial pledge I make for the people of Delta North.

It is about bringing a reset that obliterates political godfatherism and encouraging the Anioma person to believe in him or herself by working with focus to be who he or she desires to be.

It is about the future of Anioma—a future that requires fresh ideas, youthful energy, enterprise, innovation and an unwavering commitment to the people’s welfare.

But development cannot take place where people are afraid to enter their farms.
It cannot take place where rural communities are cut off by bad roads.

It cannot take place where communities that host major economic assets remain without reliable electricity.

And it cannot take place where young people see politics as the only route to economic survival.

Therefore, my vision for Delta North is not simply about political representation. It is about creating the conditions in which our people can live securely, farm productively, build businesses, attract investment and create a better future for their children.

SECURITY FIRST: MAKE OUR FARMS AND COMMUNITIES SAFE AGAIN

The first responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property.

Across parts of Delta North, insecurity in rural areas has become a serious concern for farming communities. Reports of clashes, cattle entering cultivated farmlands and the fear associated with movement into isolated farming areas have contributed to anxiety among rural residents. The continuing debate over the implementation of Delta State’s 2021 livestock law demonstrates that legislation alone is insufficient without effective enforcement.

For Delta North, this is not merely a security question. It is an agricultural question. When a farmer is afraid to enter his farm, agriculture suffers.

When women and young people cannot safely travel to their farms, household incomes suffer.

When crops are destroyed or farmers fear being attacked, food production suffers.

When rural communities become insecure, investment withdraws.

Therefore, security must become an essential part of the Delta North development agenda.

My commitment

As Senator, I will work with other Anioma legislators to make a sustained and coordinated advocacy case to the Delta State Government and relevant security authorities for the effective implementation and enforcement of the Delta State Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law, 2021.

The law already prohibits open grazing and movement of livestock on foot under specified conditions and provides mechanisms for dealing with violations and damage. The issue is therefore no longer simply about passing another law.
It is about implementation.

I will advocate for:

●   Effective enforcement of the existing law;
●   Proper funding and functioning of the relevant livestock-management structures;
●   Better coordination between state authorities, local governments and security agencies;
●   Protection of farmers and rural communities;
●   Rapid response mechanisms for security incidents in farming areas;
●   Lawful investigation and prosecution of violent crimes;
●   Dialogue and lawful livestock-management arrangements that reduce conflict; and
●   Stronger community-based intelligence and early-warning systems.

This advocacy will not be directed against any ethnic group or lawful livelihood. It will be directed at one principle:

No citizen should lose access to his or her farm, property, livelihood or life because the law is not being enforced.

The objective is simple: make the farms and bushes of Delta North safe again for legitimate economic activity.

FIX THE ROADS THAT CONNECT OUR PEOPLE TO THEIR FARMS AND MARKETS

A farmer may have land, labour and a good harvest, but if he cannot move his produce to the market, agriculture remains economically weak.

Many rural communities require better access roads connecting farms to villages, markets, processing centres and major highways.

As Senator, I will work with other Anioma legislators to establish a coordinated legislative and constituency advocacy framework for the rehabilitation of critical rural and inter-community roads across Delta North.

The focus should be on roads that:

●   Connect major farming communities;
●   Link farms to markets;
●   Connect communities to schools and health facilities;
●   Provide access to emerging industrial and processing clusters;
●   Improve movement between local government areas; and
●   Strengthen links to major commercial centres.

The Senate provides a platform for advocacy, oversight and engagement with relevant federal agencies. That platform must be used deliberately.

Our objective should be to make the phrase “farm to market” a practical development strategy rather than a slogan.

ELECTRICITY: LET OKPAI BENEFIT THE COMMUNITIES THAT HOST IT

Few issues illustrate the development challenge of Delta North more dramatically than the question of electricity in the Ndokwa area.

The Okpai Independent Power Plant has for years been associated with electricity generation for the national grid, while communities around the facility have continued to demand a reliable local electricity supply. In 2025, Ndokwa groups and residents again publicly demanded the step-down of electricity from the Okpai facility to local communities.

This cannot continue to be treated as an ordinary constituency complaint. It is a major development and infrastructure issue.

As Senator, I will work with other Anioma legislators to pursue sustained engagement with the Federal Government, relevant power agencies, transmission authorities and other stakeholders towards achieving a functional electricity step-down arrangement for the benefiting communities.

The objective will be to pursue:
Generation → Transmission → Step-down → Distribution → Community benefit.

Electricity is not merely for lighting homes.
Reliable electricity can support:

●   Agro-processing;
●   Cold storage;
●   Small and medium-sized enterprises;
●   Welding and fabrication;
●   ICT businesses;
●   Health facilities;
●   Schools;
●   Water supply;
●   Agricultural processing; and
●   Rural industrialisation.

The vision is to transform electricity from a political promise into an economic development tool.

FROM AGRICULTURE TO AGRO-INDUSTRY

Delta North must stop thinking of agriculture simply as the production of crops. The bigger opportunity lies in what happens after the crop leaves the farm.

Our communities need more processing, packaging, storage, transportation, marketing and industrial activity around agriculture.

I will therefore promote a strategy for identifying agricultural products and residues across the nine local government areas of Delta North and determining how they can be converted into commercial value.

This means moving from:
Raw materials → Processing → Manufacturing → Markets → Jobs.

Where commercially viable, investment can be attracted into facilities such as:

●   Silos and storage centres;
●   Agro-processing plants;
●   Food-processing facilities;
●   Packaging plants;
●   Animal-feed production;
●   Compost and organic soil products;
●   Biomass and alternative-energy projects; and
●   Other agricultural value-added enterprises.

TURN AGRICULTURAL WASTE INTO WEALTH

What is currently regarded as waste can, with the appropriate technology and investment, become another economic resource.

Agricultural residues can potentially support industries producing compost, animal feed, biomass fuel, bioenergy and other useful products, depending on the particular crop, residue and available technology.

The approach will be to bring together:
Farmers + Investors + Researchers + Processors + Government + Young Entrepreneurs.

This cluster model can create an ecosystem in which one agricultural activity supports several businesses.

The farmer supplies the raw material.
The processor creates value.
The transporter moves it.
The entrepreneur develops a new product.
The researcher improves the technology.
The market creates demand.
And young people obtain employment.
That is how agriculture becomes an industry.

YOUNG PEOPLE MUST BECOME PARTICIPANTS IN THE NEW ECONOMY

The future of Anioma cannot be built by government employment alone.

Our young people need an economy that allows them to become entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, farmers, researchers, manufacturers, technology specialists and business owners.

I will therefore advocate for partnerships that provide practical training in:

●   Agro-processing;
●   Agricultural technology;
●   Equipment maintenance;
●   Renewable energy;
●   Waste management;
●   Logistics;
●   Digital enterprise;
●   Manufacturing;
●   Entrepreneurship; and
●   Industrial management.

The objective is not to give young people temporary political empowerment.

It is to give them productive capacity.

ATTRACT INVESTMENT, DON’T WAIT FOR GOVERNMENT ALONE

Government cannot and should not be expected to finance every development project.

A senator should therefore use his office to attract attention, facilitate legitimate partnerships and advocate for an environment in which private capital can enter Delta North.

Investment-ready projects should be developed around agriculture, processing, renewable energy, logistics and rural enterprise.

The focus should be on projects that can produce measurable outcomes:

How much investment came in?
How many jobs were created?
How many farmers benefited?
How much produce was processed?
How much economic activity was generated?

This is the language of modern development.

A SENATE OFFICE THAT WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE

Representation must not end when legislation is passed in Abuja. A Senator representing Delta North should maintain a continuing connection with the communities.

My proposed approach is to establish a structured constituency-engagement system through which communities can communicate their priority concerns and receive regular updates on matters being pursued.

The focus will be on five broad areas:

Security.
Infrastructure.
Electricity.
Economic opportunity.
Human capital development.

Progress should be measured and reported.

Citizens should know what issues have been raised, what agencies have been engaged, what commitments have been obtained and what remains outstanding.

A RESET IN POLITICAL CULTURE

The deepest part of this vision is not infrastructure.
It is the belief that the Anioma person must be encouraged to believe in himself or herself.

Politics should not become a system in which access to opportunity depends permanently on political godfathers.

Leadership should create opportunities for people to rise through competence, character, enterprise and service.

A young Anioma entrepreneur should be able to build a business without first asking which politician controls the opportunity.

A farmer should be able to farm without fear.

A professional should be able to contribute without political patronage.

A community should be able to demand accountability without intimidation.

And the next generation should be encouraged to aspire to leadership based on what they can contribute—not merely on whom they know.

That is the reset I envision.

A PRACTICAL AGENDA FOR DELTA NORTH

My vision can therefore be summarised in ten commitments:

SECURE THE FARMS — advocate effective enforcement of the state’s livestock-management and anti-open-grazing framework and stronger protection for rural communities.
FIX THE ACCESS ROADS — pursue coordinated advocacy for critical roads linking communities, farms and markets.
LIGHT UP OUR COMMUNITIES — pursue the Okpai step-down and other electricity interventions for Delta North.
DEVELOP AGRO-INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS — connect agriculture with processing, manufacturing and markets.
TURN WASTE INTO WEALTH — develop commercially viable agricultural-waste recovery and processing opportunities.
CREATE JOBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE — connect skills development to real economic opportunities.
ATTRACT PRIVATE CAPITAL — develop investment-ready projects and facilitate credible partnerships.
SUPPORT FARMERS — strengthen access to markets, technology, storage, processing and sustainable production.
STRENGTHEN CONSTITUENCY ADVOCACY — use the Senate to pursue concrete issues affecting Delta North.
BUILD A NEW POLITICAL CULTURE — promote inclusion, fairness, accountability, competence and opportunity.

THE FUTURE WE CAN BUILD

The future of Delta North cannot be built on nostalgia.

It cannot be built on political slogans.

And it cannot be built by repeatedly doing the same things and expecting different results.
It must be built on new thinking, practical solutions and a willingness to confront difficult problems.

A secure farmer produces more.
A good road connects communities to markets.
Electricity creates enterprise.
Processing creates value.
Investment creates jobs.
Skills create independence.
Accountability creates trust.

And responsible leadership creates the environment in which all these things can happen.
That is the Delta North I envision.
An Anioma where our people can farm without fear.

Where our communities have roads.
Where electricity supports enterprise.
Where agricultural products are processed locally.
Where waste becomes wealth.
Where young people can build businesses and careers.

Where investment is welcomed.
Where representation is measured by results.
And where political leadership is no longer about controlling people, but about creating the conditions for people to fulfil their potential.

This is not a promise that government can solve every problem.

It is a commitment to pursue practical solutions, build partnerships, demand accountability and use every legitimate instrument of legislative representation to advance the interests of Delta North.

The objective is a secure, productive and prosperous Delta North—one in which the people are not merely beneficiaries of development, but active participants and owners of their economic future.

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Featured

How Ogundiya Folarin Oladapo Crossed The Border For Safety

Published

1 week ago

November 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Ogundiya Folarin Oladapo. Is a Nigerian citizen from Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. Ago Iwoye, a relative, spoke to our reporter extensively about the whereabouts of Ogundiya and the circumstances that compelled him to flee the country and why he may be scared to return.

According to Mr Iwoye, Ogundiya was faced with persecution and threats to his life owing to his sexual orientation. He was born and raised in Ogun State, Nigeria. He grew up in an environment where family, community, culture and religious beliefs played important roles in everyday life. Ogundiya had always considered his hometown a place of belonging. His family, childhood experiences, friendships and memories were all connected to that environment.

Ogundiya is a quiet, simple and easy-going person. He had never been someone who enjoys conflict or confrontation. His greatest desire was to live an ordinary life, maintain meaningful relationships and build a future for himself.

However, there is a deeply personal aspect of his identity that has made living in Nigeria extremely difficult for him. He is a bisexual. Yes! I don’t think he chose to be so. And it is not something he can simply change because of the expectations of society. His sexual orientation is part of who he is.

Growing up in Nigeria, he understood that same-sex relationships were strongly condemned by many people. He knew that being identified as a gay or a bisexual could result in discrimination, rejection, humiliation, violence and serious legal consequences.

For these reasons, Ogundiya, I presumed, kept his sexuality private. He did not feel safe openly discussing his feelings or relationships. He was constantly conscious of the possible consequences if people discover this aspect of his life.

He was not hiding because he was ashamed of being human. He was hiding because he was afraid of what people might do if they found out.

On 21st September 2026, his life took a frightening turn. His mobile phone was faulty and he needed to make some important calls, so he took his younger brother’s phone, to make a call to his work place, but unfortunately the first message that popped in was that of his partner who had been worried for not reaching him for some days and wanted to pass an important message to him, his brother saw the message first and all the doubt about his sexually orientation was cleared as he has been so suspicious of Ogundiya for some time because of his closeness to his partner whom they always disguised as friends. He immediately reported to other members of his family. Part of the message read:

“Guy, we are in big trouble. Our romantic secret is now public. Someone was monitoring us. Please, stay in the dark for now.”

When he received and understood the seriousness of that message, he became extremely worried. It suggested that someone had been monitoring their private relationship and that information about them had reached other people.

What he had spent a long time keeping private was suddenly exposed.
The discovery also came as a shock to his family because they had not previously known about his bisexuality. He was frightened about their reaction and, more importantly, about the possibility that other people in the community would find out.

The situation quickly escalated, because his brother told one of his friends who also told other people in their small community. Surprisingly, a group of people gathered around his family residence, demanding to see Ogundiya, they were angry about his sexuality and were making threatening statements.

He could hear people saying he is gay and calling for his punishment. Some were demanding that he should be killed through mob justice, while others were threatening to hand him over to the police for prosecution.

At that moment, Ogundiya realised that his life was in danger.
He was terrified when he realised that the people gathering outside were looking for him.
He could not confidently rely on anyone to protect him and he knew that remaining inside the house could expose him to serious harm.

In the confusion, Ogundiya managed to escape through a latrine window and made his way into the nearby alleyways.

He left without shoes and sustained bruises during his escape; no opportunity to collect his belongings or make any proper arrangements. The only important things he managed to take with him were his passport and a small envelope containing some emergency money.

As he moved away from the house, people were shouting accusations and threatening to deal with him because of his sexuality, some of their allegations were that if he is allowed to stay alive that he will influence younger people in the community. “As for me, as his relative, I can’t contribute to harming him because I didn’t create him.” Owoye said.

Ogundiya was deeply frightened. He could not believe that the place where he had grown up and lived with his family had suddenly become somewhere he could no longer feel safe.

He had not committed any act of violence against anybody. He was being threatened because of his sexual orientation and a private relationship. But to be honest, both our tradition and the government law forbid such practices among men. Even women are forbidden to indulge in same sex relations, it is a grievous taboo and it could attract serious consequences such as death, Iwoye said.

“The possibility of being attacked by a mob was particularly frightening because he knew how such situations could become uncontrollable. He was also afraid of being arrested and prosecuted under Nigeria’s laws concerning same-sex relationships.”

But the public may want to know how he fled the country? I can only attribute it to divine powers. Because all of us are sinners. Maybe the Almighty God has not finished with him.

However, Ogundiya told me that initially, he considered relocating to another state in Nigeria. He thought that perhaps moving far away from Ogun State would allow him to start again without the people who had threatened him knowing where he was.

However, the more he considered this option, the more afraid he became.His concern was that the hostility towards people with his sexual orientation was not limited to his hometown. He feared that he could face similar treatment elsewhere if his sexuality became known.
He was also worried about the legal consequences of being identified as bisexual and the possibility of being reported to the authorities.

He did not believe that simply moving to another state would provide lasting protection. He could potentially spend the rest of his life hiding his identity, avoiding relationships and constantly worrying about being discovered.
He, therefore, began looking for a way to leave Nigeria.

His decision was not motivated by a desire to abandon his family, culture or country. He left because he was afraid for his life and believed that remaining in Nigeria would expose him to further persecution.

Because he had limited resources and did not know how to arrange a safe journey out of Nigeria, he began looking for assistance.

During this period, he came into contact with a man named Chinedu, who was from the eastern part of Nigeria.

He told him that he could facilitate his movement across the border into a neighbouring country. He demanded a substantial amount of money for the journey and assured Ogundiya that he could help him get across.

He was desperate to leave Nigeria. He was frightened, vulnerable and had very few alternatives. He eventually paid the amount he requested because he believed that Chinedu would help him reach safely.

Unfortunately, the journey did not turn out as he had expected.
At some point during the journey, he was taken to a rural transit camp. The location was unfamiliar to him and he had limited access to money, communication and independent means of travelling.

Ogundiya became increasingly dependent on Chinedu because he did not know the area or how to continue the journey alone.

It was during this period that Chinedu allegedly began taking advantage of his vulnerability.
He experienced sexual molestation, physical coercion and intimidation. Ogundiya was subjected to unwanted advances and pressure, accompanied by threats that he could be abandoned or handed over to local police or hostile individuals.

He felt completely helpless. The person he had trusted to help him escape danger had become another source of danger.

He was particularly frightened because he had already experienced threats in Nigeria and did not want to find himself in another situation where his sexuality could be used against him.

The experience affected Ogundiya deeply. He felt violated, humiliated and emotionally overwhelmed. He found it difficult to speak about what had happened because of the shame and fear associated with the experience.

He had left his home in search of safety, but he found himself being exploited by someone who knew how desperate he was.

Eventually, he found an opportunity to escape from the transit camp.
He left during the night and began walking along isolated dirt roads. He did not have a reliable means of transportation, and he was uncertain about where the roads would lead.

He continued walking because he was afraid of being discovered and taken back.
After walking for several miles, he eventually reached a major humanitarian post near the border. By then, he was physically exhausted and visibly distressed.

He stopped to rest because he was struggling to continue walking.
He was pale, tired and emotionally drained. He had experienced more than he could easily explain, and he desperately needed assistance.

While he was resting near the humanitarian post, a Nigerian man travelling by car towards the neighbouring country noticed him.
He stopped his vehicle and approached Ogundiya. He introduced himself as Olamide, a Yoruba man from Osun State.

Initially, Ogundiya was afraid to speak to him. After his last experience with Chinedu, he found it difficult to trust another stranger.
However, when he discovered that Olamide was also Yoruba, he became a little more comfortable.

Eventually, he explained what had happened to him to Olamide. He told him about the threats against him in Ogun State, the circumstances surrounding his escape from home, his journey with Chinedu and the exploitation he had experienced at the transit camp.

Ogundiya became emotional while explaining everything because the experience had been extremely traumatic.
Olamide listened to him and appeared deeply affected by his account.

Olamide told Ogundiya that his circumstances reminded him of his younger biological brother, who had reportedly experienced a similar situation after his bisexuality became known.

He explained that his brother had narrowly escaped mob violence and had subsequently been assisted in travelling to Europe because of fears of persecution and prosecution in Nigeria.

Olamide introduced himself as a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and said he would try to assist Ogundiya in finding safety abroad.

He promised to help arrange his journey to Europe, where he could seek protection and have an opportunity to rebuild his life.

At that point, he was emotionally exhausted and uncertain about what would happen next. However, his offer gave Ogundiya some hope that he might finally escape the circumstances that had placed his life in danger.

A few weeks after meeting Olamide, he fulfilled his promise and arranged for Ogundiya to travel to Dublin, Ireland.

His arrival in Ireland was a significant moment in his life. He had gone through fear, uncertainty, threats, exploitation and a difficult journey before eventually reaching a place where he could seek protection.

He was relieved to have reached Ireland, although the experiences he had gone through continued to affect him emotionally.

He is afraid to return to Nigeria because the circumstances that forced him to leave have not been resolved.
His sexuality was exposed in his community, and he was threatened by people who wanted to punish him because of it.

He fears that if he returns, he could be recognised, exposed again or subjected to further threats and violence.

Ogundiya is also afraid of the possibility of being reported to the police and facing prosecution under the laws criminalising same-sex relationships and conduct.

The experience of escaping from his family home remains deeply distressing. He remembered having to leave through the window, without shoes or belongings, because he feared what the people outside might do to him

He also cannot forget the exploitation he experienced during his journey. He had trusted someone because he was desperate to escape persecution, only to find himself in another frightening situation.

These experiences have made him fearful of returning to the circumstances from which he escaped.

He did not believe that moving to another part of Nigeria would necessarily resolve his difficulties. His concern is that the underlying hostility and legal risks associated with his sexual orientation would remain.

He wanted to live in a place where he could exist without constantly fearing that his identity would become a reason for violence, humiliation or imprisonment.

He did not leave Nigeria because he wanted to abandon his country or because he was looking for an easier life elsewhere.

He left because he was frightened for his safety and believed that he had no realistic way of protecting himself in the circumstances he faced.

He lost the security of his home, became separated from the people and surroundings he had known throughout his life, and experienced further exploitation while trying to escape.

The journey to Ireland was difficult, but it offered him an opportunity to seek protection and live with dignity.

He respectfully asks the Irish authorities to consider his circumstances, the threats he experienced, his sexual orientation, the circumstances of his departure from Nigeria and his genuine fear of returning.

He wanted an opportunity to rebuild his life without having to hide who he is or live under the constant threat of violence and persecution.

What can one do? Here in Nigeria, same sex relationships are prohibited and myself and others of his relatives wish that he lives his life as his God created him. Ogundiya had wanted a simple life without fear or threat of prosecution.

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