By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
Confederation of Delta State Oil Producing Ethnic Nationalities Students Union, CODSOPENSU, has endorsed the Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for a second term in office, citing his administration’s significant investments in education, youth development and student welfare.
They gave the endorsement on Thursday during a visit to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, where the leadership of the union commended the governor’s interventions in the education sector and the revitalisation of student support programmes.
Speaking during the reception, the Managing Director of DESOPADEC, Chief Festus Ochonogor, who was represented by the Executive Director of Social Services, Chief Favour Ozuokomor, welcomed the students and described their visit as a historic gesture.
He added that the commission had, since its inception, carried out interventions that have positively affected students and communities across the region.
He assured the visiting delegation that their message of appreciation and endorsement would be communicated to the governor and reiterated the board’s commitment to prioritise youth and student-focused initiatives.
Also, the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, DESOPADEC, Chief Oghenekome Okpobor, commended the students for their organised approach and urged them to maintain proper communication channels with the commission.
He advised the student leaders to always present their concerns through formal correspondence to enable the commission address issues effectively.
Okpobor also urged students across the state to participate actively in the coming elections by obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
He added that the management remains committed to engaging constructively with the student community and respond to their needs as part of its broader mandate to improve the welfare of people in oil-producing areas.
Earlier, the students, led by the Chairman of CODSOPENSU, Comrade Onajite Onagba, representing the six ethnic nationalities of oil producing communities, presented an address commending the governor for what they described as “unprecedented educational reforms” and transformative leadership.
He lauded the governor’s intervention in the DESOPADEC bursary scheme, which had previously been suspended.
He noted that the administration not only restored the scheme, but also approved an increase in the bursary allowance from N30,000 to N50,000 for students from oil-producing communities.
The group also commended him for the consistent payment of bursary to over 33,000 eligible students in 2025, which include children of deceased civil servants, students living with disabilities and law school students.
They praised the governor for ongoing infrastructural development within the education sector, including the commissioning of new faculty complexes at the University of Delta and upgrade at other tertiary institutions across the state.
