Otiti Urges Oborevwori to Order Mental Health Checks for Commissioners, SSAs
Reported By Facthabournews
Media activist and public affairs commentator, Akpovoke Otiti, has called on Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to consider introducing mental health assessments for commissioners, Senior Special Assistants and other political appointees serving in his administration.
Otiti made the call as part of his continuing commentary on governance and the performance of political office holders in Delta State, urging the governor to pay closer attention not only to the professional qualifications of individuals appointed into government but also to their ability to handle the pressures and responsibilities associated with public office.
The proposal has generated discussion because mental health remains a sensitive subject in public life, particularly when it is linked to people holding political appointments. Otiti’s call, however, should not be interpreted as evidence that any particular commissioner, Senior Special Assistant or other government official has a mental health condition. No such diagnosis has been established in relation to the individuals concerned.
Rather, the issue raised by Otiti touches on a broader question about the standards that should guide the appointment and continued service of people occupying positions of significant public responsibility.
In making his argument, Otiti has positioned the proposed assessments as part of a broader accountability framework. His position is that people entrusted with public responsibilities should be subjected to appropriate professional standards capable of determining whether they are prepared to manage the demands of their offices.
Political appointments in state governments often involve responsibilities that require officials to make decisions, manage public resources, interact with citizens, supervise programmes and represent government policies. Commissioners in particular oversee ministries with direct responsibilities for sectors such as education, health, works, finance, information, agriculture and other areas that affect the daily lives of citizens.
Senior Special Assistants and other advisers may also be assigned specific responsibilities that require them to interact with government institutions, communities, stakeholders and members of the public.
Otiti’s suggestion therefore raises questions about whether governments should periodically review the suitability of political appointees beyond the traditional considerations of educational qualifications, political experience, professional background and loyalty to the administration.
He has urged Governor Oborevwori to examine the issue within the context of improving the quality of governance and ensuring that political appointees are able to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
The proposal comes against the background of Otiti’s previous public interventions on matters concerning the Oborevwori administration. He has repeatedly commented on issues ranging from transportation and infrastructure to the cost of living, government policies and the performance of political appointees.
In August 2026, for example, Otiti publicly questioned the status of 50 Compressed Natural Gas buses that had previously been promised to residents of Delta State. He asked the governor to explain when the buses would become available to the public, particularly in view of transportation costs confronting residents.
His latest call is therefore part of a continuing pattern of public commentary on the administration and its policies rather than an isolated intervention.
Otiti has also previously written about the need for the Delta State Government to focus on issues affecting ordinary residents. In an earlier open letter to Governor Oborevwori, he called for attention to electricity, affordable transportation and low-cost housing, among other issues. The letter reflected his broader argument that government policies should be closely connected to the everyday needs of residents.
The latest proposal, however, differs from those earlier economic and infrastructure-related interventions because it concerns the personal and professional suitability of individuals holding government appointments.
Mental health assessments, where legitimately required, are generally matters that should be handled by qualified professionals and conducted in accordance with applicable ethical, medical and legal standards. Such assessments also raise questions concerning confidentiality, consent, privacy and the appropriate use of any information obtained.
For this reason, any government considering such a policy would need to establish clearly defined procedures rather than relying on informal or politically motivated assessments.
There is also an important distinction between a general wellness programme for public officials and an assessment intended to determine whether a particular individual has a mental health disorder. Employee and executive wellness programmes can include stress management, counselling, psychological support, medical screening and other interventions designed to help officials cope with demanding responsibilities.
Such programmes, if properly designed, can be presented as preventive and supportive measures rather than as instruments for stigmatizing people or questioning their suitability solely on the basis of assumptions about their mental health.
The distinction is particularly important because mental health conditions can affect people across all professions and levels of society, including people in leadership positions. A person experiencing stress, anxiety, depression or another condition cannot automatically be regarded as incapable of performing official duties. Equally, the existence of a mental health condition does not by itself establish professional incompetence.
Consequently, any implementation of the type of assessment proposed by Otiti would need to rely on qualified medical and psychological professionals and objective standards.
The broader governance question raised by his comments is whether political appointees should undergo more structured performance and welfare reviews during their tenure.
Governors appoint commissioners and special advisers to help implement their programmes and policies. Once appointed, however, the performance of those officials can influence the effectiveness of the entire administration. Where a ministry performs poorly, citizens often judge the government as a whole rather than focusing exclusively on the particular official responsible.
Periodic performance reviews could therefore examine several areas, including implementation of government programmes, responsiveness to citizens, financial management, adherence to administrative procedures, communication, leadership, teamwork and delivery against established targets.
Mental and physical wellbeing could potentially form part of a broader occupational health and welfare framework, provided such processes are conducted professionally and without discrimination.
The discussion is also relevant because political office can involve considerable pressure. Commissioners and senior political appointees routinely deal with competing interests, public criticism, administrative demands, political expectations and the responsibility of implementing government decisions.
A properly designed welfare programme could help officials manage those pressures while also protecting the interests of the public.
Otiti’s call comes at a time when political activity is also beginning to intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Public officials across the country are increasingly facing scrutiny over their performance, political affiliations and public statements.
However, the question of whether an individual is suitable for public office should not be determined by political disagreements or unverified assumptions about their mental state. Any assessment would need to be based on professional evidence and established procedures.
Otiti’s broader criticisms of the Delta State Government have previously attracted responses from groups supportive of Governor Oborevwori. In 2024, the MORE Reality Group responded to an open letter attributed to Otiti and defended the governor’s record, citing various government programmes and initiatives.
That history illustrates the wider political and governance debate surrounding Otiti’s interventions. While he has continued to raise questions about government policies and officials, supporters of the administration have also defended the governor’s performance and programmes.
In August 2026, Otiti again criticised aspects of the administration while raising questions about transportation policy and the promised CNG buses. More recently, reports have also quoted him challenging claims about the level of public support for the administration and arguing that economic hardship remains a major concern for residents. Those positions are his political and public-policy assessments and should not be treated as independently established facts about the views of all Deltans.
The mental-health proposal consequently adds another dimension to an ongoing public debate over governance in Delta State.
For Governor Oborevwori, any consideration of such a proposal would require balancing public accountability with the rights and dignity of government officials. A policy that focuses on general health, wellbeing and professional performance could be considerably different from a process aimed at identifying or excluding individuals on the basis of presumed mental health conditions.
There is also a need to avoid stigmatization. Mental health is a medical and social issue, and public discussion surrounding it can have significant consequences for individuals and their families. Public office holders, like other citizens, are entitled to appropriate privacy and fair treatment.
At the same time, citizens have a legitimate interest in ensuring that those entrusted with public responsibilities are able to perform their duties effectively. This makes transparent recruitment standards, clear performance targets, professional development, ethical rules and appropriate welfare programmes important components of public administration.
Otiti’s latest call therefore places the question of political-appointee standards at the centre of public discussion in Delta State.
Whether Governor Oborevwori will respond to the proposal remains to be seen. As of the time of this report, no official statement from the Delta State Government specifically accepting or rejecting Otiti’s call for mental health checks for commissioners and Senior Special Assistants had been independently established.
The proposal may nevertheless prompt further discussion about how political appointees should be evaluated, supported and held accountable throughout their tenure.
For such a conversation to be productive, health-related assessments would need to remain within the competence of qualified professionals, while political and administrative performance should be evaluated using transparent and measurable standards.
Ultimately, the central issue raised by Otiti is about the quality of leadership and the standards expected of people entrusted with public responsibilities. Any measures adopted by government would need to protect both the public interest and the rights of the officials involved.
