Six state governors from Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta and South-South geopolitical zone have been officially nominated for the prestigious 2025 Niger Delta Peace and Meritorious Awards. The nomination list was unveiled in a statement released on January 11, 2026, and signed by Sam Ujong Ekpambe on behalf of the awards organisers.
Full List of Nominated Governors for Niger Delta Awards
The organisers have shortlisted six chief executives for their exceptional leadership. The nominees for the Governor of the Year (Infrastructure and Development) category are:
Delta State: Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Akwa Ibom State: Pastor Umo Eno.
Edo State: Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Bayelsa State: Senator Douye Diri.
Cross River State: Prince Bassey Otu.
Rivers State: Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
How the Winner Will Be Chosen: A Public Vote
In a significant move towards inclusive governance, the awards committee has introduced a public voting process to determine the ultimate winner. The final recipient of the Governor of the Year honour will be selected exclusively through votes cast by citizens.
The statement explained that this initiative is designed to strengthen transparency, fairness, and citizen participation in recognising leadership. It allows the public to directly endorse governors they believe have shown outstanding commitment to infrastructure development, peacebuilding, and socio-economic growth.
"This approach reflects the awards’ belief that leadership recognition should be driven by the people who experience the impact of governance at the grassroots," part of the statement read.
Rigorous Nomination Process and Award Objectives
The nominated governors were not chosen arbitrarily. The organisers clarified that they underwent a rigorous assessment process based on verifiable performance indicators, public service impact, and measurable contributions to regional and national development.
The core aim of the award is to recognise exceptional leadership in infrastructure delivery and development across the Niger Delta region. Furthermore, the introduction of the public voting category underscores the awards’ broader mission of promoting peace, unity, and sustainable development in the area.
The committee assured that details regarding the specific voting platforms and timelines would be officially communicated to the public in the coming weeks. The award ceremony is expected to attract high-profile stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector.
In a related development, the report noted that Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State recently received a separate award from the Abdullahi Mahmood Foundation (AMF) for his administrative achievements.
