…Dafinone Promises Fair Distribution of Projects, Urges Urhobo Youths to Pursue Federal Jobs
More than 250 community youth leaders from Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency, popularly known as U3, in Delta State have declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator Ede Dafinone, and House of Representatives member, Rt. Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, alongside other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was announced on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the U3 Federal Constituency Community Youth Leaders Conference held at Wetland Hotel, Ughelli. The event brought together grassroots youth leaders to discuss community development, political participation and strategies for strengthening engagement between elected representatives and their constituents.
The conference was organised by the U3 Youth Leader and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development, Chief Hope Ejiro, who called for greater unity among youth leaders across the three local government areas to advance their communities’ interests.
Addressing participants, Senator Dafinone, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, commended the youth leaders for their support and reiterated his commitment to equitable distribution of constituency projects across the senatorial district.
He disclosed that his office was working to ensure that every local government area in Delta Central benefited from at least one major project as his tenure entered its fourth year.
According to the senator, other interventions being pursued include the provision of transformers, streetlights, water facilities, educational infrastructure and other amenities intended to improve living conditions in communities.
Dafinone explained that legislators nominate constituency projects, while the relevant federal ministries, departments and agencies are responsible for their implementation. He stressed that effective representation also required lawmakers to monitor projects and engage the appropriate agencies to ensure that approved interventions were delivered.
He listed educational facilities, healthcare infrastructure, accident and emergency wards, school hostels and community utilities among the projects being pursued, emphasising that the needs of different communities must be considered in allocating development interventions.
The senator urged community leaders to maintain communication with his office, noting that their feedback was essential to identifying local priorities and ensuring that no community was left behind.
On employment opportunities, Dafinone highlighted his position as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character, describing it as an avenue to promote fairness and balanced representation in federal appointments and recruitment.
He encouraged qualified Urhobo youths to monitor his official social media platforms for information about legitimate federal employment opportunities, adding that his office would provide guidance and appropriate follow-up within established recruitment procedures.
The lawmaker also addressed concerns surrounding President Tinubu’s economic reforms, acknowledging the difficulties Nigerians were experiencing but arguing that the measures were intended to address longstanding structural problems and reposition the national economy.
He cited the removal of the petrol subsidy, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and increased financial allocations to state and local governments among the administration’s major policy initiatives.
Dafinone, however, stressed the importance of accountability and prudent management of public resources, maintaining that the benefits of government policies must translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
He further called for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, Delta State Government and elected representatives, saying that cooperation among the different levels of government was essential to attracting projects, employment opportunities and other development initiatives to Urhobo communities.
According to him, accessible representation, sustained engagement and effective working relationships with relevant institutions remained necessary for addressing the needs of constituents.
Also addressing the conference, Waive, who represents Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, urged the youth leaders to take responsibility for the future of their communities by making informed political choices and demanding accountability from elected officials.
He said leadership should be assessed on the basis of character, competence, capacity and commitment to public service rather than promises alone.
Waive noted that addressing Nigeria’s development challenges required collective effort, urging young people to move beyond criticism and contribute actively to finding solutions to the problems confronting their communities.
He identified poverty, unemployment, inadequate healthcare, insecurity and limited economic opportunities as pressing issues requiring sustained attention from government and other stakeholders.
The federal lawmaker also encouraged young people to embrace education, discipline, productive engagement and community service, stressing that their choices and values would significantly influence the future of society.
Drawing on biblical principles, he underscored the importance of faith, integrity and responsible leadership, reminding participants that the decisions made today would shape the outcomes of tomorrow.
Earlier, the convener, Chief Hope Ejiro, said the conference was organised to strengthen communication between grassroots youth leaders and elected representatives while providing a platform for communities across the three local government areas to articulate their development needs.
He explained that the initiative was also intended to promote unity among U3 youth leaders, enabling them to speak with one voice in seeking government attention and attracting development projects to their communities.
Participants discussed community development priorities, youth involvement in governance and the importance of building stronger relationships between political representatives and grassroots stakeholders.
The conference ended with the youth leaders reaffirming their endorsement of Tinubu, Oborevwori, Dafinone, Waive and other APC candidates for the 2027 elections, while the lawmakers reiterated their commitment to representation, community development and the welfare of their constituents.
