Delta State in Nigeria has just announced its “Delta Man of the Year 2024” award, organized by a group called NEHEMS/CAPOIN. NEHEMS stands for Nehemiahs, and CAPOIN stands for Campaign for Public Office Integrity in Nigeria.
This group is all about making sure leaders do their jobs well and listen to the people they serve. They believe leaders should work hard to make life better for everyone, and they want to make sure the public has a way to share their opinions about how leaders are doing.
What Happened?
NEHEMS/CAPOIN held a big event to announce the winner of the “Delta Man of the Year” award. They explained how they chose the winner by asking people in Delta State to vote for the leader they thought did the best job. They did this in two ways: by going out to talk to people in person and by letting people vote online.
How Did They Choose the Winner?
- In-Person Voting: They sent teams to three specific locations in Delta State:
- Delta State University, Abraka (Delta Central): This is a school environment where students, lecturers, and staff were asked to vote.
- Southern Delta University, Ozoro (Delta South): This location included students, non-academic staff, and academic staff.
- Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba (Delta North): This is a government office where civil servants and other workers were asked to vote. They gave out 900 voting papers, and 852 people voted.
- Online Voting: People could also vote on the internet. This gave even more people a chance to share their opinions.
Who Were the Nominees?
Three leaders were nominated, one from each part of Delta State:
- High Chief Government Ekpemuokpolo (Tompolo): He works on keeping oil and gas facilities safe.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: He represents Delta North in the Nigerian Senate.
- Governor Sheriff Oborevwori: He is the governor of Delta State.
What Were the Results?
- In-Person Votes:
- Delta State University, Abraka:
- Governor Oborevwori: 81 votes.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: 85 votes.
- Tompolo: 87 votes.
- Southern Delta University, Ozoro:
- Governor Oborevwori: 76 votes.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: 11 votes.
- Tompolo: 13 votes.
- Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba:
- Governor Oborevwori: 192 votes.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: 70 votes.
- Tompolo: 48 votes.
- Online Votes:
- Governor Oborevwori: 10 votes.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: 157 votes.
- Tompolo: 16 votes.
- Total Votes:
- Governor Oborevwori: 359 votes.
- Senator Ned Nwoko: 329 votes.
- Tompolo: 164 votes.
And the Winner Is…
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori won the “Delta Man of the Year 2024” award! He got the most votes because people felt he did the best job serving the public.
Why Is This Important?
This award shows how important it is for leaders to listen to the people they serve. NEHEMS/CAPOIN wants leaders to know what the public thinks about their work. By voting, the people of Delta State got to say who they think is doing a good job. This helps leaders understand what they need to do better and makes sure they are working for the people.
Suggestions and Recommendations:
- Governor Sheriff Oborevwori:
- Physical Voting: The governor did very well in physical voting, especially at the Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat, where he got 192 votes. This shows that people working in government offices appreciate his work.
- Online Voting: He only got 10 online votes, which is very low. This suggests that he needs to work on his online presence. He should use social media and other online platforms to connect with younger people and those who prefer to engage online.
- Senator Ned Nwoko:
- Physical Voting: Senator Nwoko did well in Delta State University, Abraka, with 85 votes, but only got 11 votes in Southern Delta University, Ozoro. This shows that his support is strong in some areas but not in others.
- Online Voting: He got 157 online votes, which is the highest among the nominees. This shows that he has a good online presence. He should continue to engage with people online and also work on increasing his visibility in areas where he got fewer votes.
- High Chief Government Ekpemuokpolo (Tompolo):
- Physical Voting: Tompolo got 87 votes in Delta State University, Abraka, but only 13 in Southern Delta University, Ozoro, and 48 in Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat. This shows that his support is strong in some areas but not in others.
- Online Voting: He only got 16 online votes, which is very low. This suggests that he needs to work on his online presence. He should use social media and other online platforms to connect with more people and share his work.
What Can We Learn?
- Leadership Matters: Leaders have a big responsibility to make life better for everyone.
- Your Voice Counts: Voting and sharing your opinion is a way to make sure leaders know what you think.
- Good Governance: Leaders should work hard, be honest, and listen to the people they serve.
This award is a great way to celebrate leaders who are doing a good job and to remind everyone that leaders should always work for the people! By improving their media presence and engaging with people both physically and online, leaders can better understand and serve the needs of the public.
NEHEMS/CAPOIN, through this initiative, continues to promote integrity and accountability in public service, ensuring that leaders remain connected to the people they serve.
