A heavyweight in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State chapter, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has described the incoming Governor of Delta State under the auspices of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi OON, as a good man.
Chief Emami, a renowned Itsekiri son and one of the Ologbotsere decedents, made the declaration on Friday December 30th 2022, when the former minister of State for education and frontline gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general election visited him at his ancestral home in Warri.
Chief Emami, who was flanked by elders of the Ologbotsere decedents, is the Ologbotsere of Warri kingdom.
He said no one else would develop the state order than the owners, noting that Gbagi like him believed in the state hence, he established business empires across the state.
The Itsekiri-born politician, said he does not allow party politics to becloud his sense of reasoning but pitches tent with individuals with the capacity to develop the state.
According to him, he makes choice of politicians and individuals who have the technical know-how to raise the bar, pointing out that he is not part of those that plays politics of personal and selfish interest.
Hear him: “The Itsekiris are my internal politics and I don’t play politics with it.
“You are a good man. I am interested in good governance. I believe that we need to develop this place and Delta because what makes me a Deltan, first, is that I am an Itsekiri man.
“So, if I see somebody that is of that dream, I will equally support the person. I select people to support in my party. I don’t just wake up in the morning and I say I support this person.
“My entering into politics, it’s because of my people not because of myself .
“You are here today, no matter the politics that anybody wants to play, you just did the right thing because the Ologbotsere of Itsekiri, is the head of the Amajada.
“They are royalties, noble men and honest men. When you are talking about the Ologbotsere, it is not Ayiri, you are talking about an institution and a dynasty.
“When I wake up in the morning, I consult them because I cannot do something different and you cannot allow me to do something different.
“That is why some of my party people wants to come, I tell them that I am not available.
There are some other party members who are running for Senate and others, they say Ologbotsere, we want to come, I say I am not available because I know my worth in Itsekiri.
“I know what I have done in Itsekiri and I know what I will still do for Itsekiri in the future.
“I have actually prayed for you and what you said I have heard. We will discuss, we will talk as brothers heart-to-heart because I cannot deceive myself.
“You know quite well that I am an APC but the duty of the Ologbotsere, once the Itsekiri decides, it supercedes your own personal interest.
“So, I can wake up and say the Itsekiris are supporting Kenneth Gbagi, it is the interest of Itsekiri and not Ayiri, they don’t pay me.
“I can wake up and say Itsekiri are supporting Omo-Agege, it is not Ayiri, the Itsekiris have decided.
“I have had course to take decision against my personal interest”, he added.
Earlier, the SDP standard bearer in the state, who expressed believe in the Ologbotsere of Warri kingdom, said if there was anybody to be entrusted with the affairs of the state, 99 percent of the person’s investments should be in the state.
“I have come here to see him, just to come to this compound, shows that Emami believes in the state. I have come here to plead with Emami, that politics is here again.
“Forget party, when we are looking for somebody that we can trust day or night, 99 percent of whatever he does will be in Delta.
“In Delta State, we want the best, nobody can teach Emami, who is the best to govern Delta State, he knows everybody. For you to disrespect Emami or not to recognize him, is your business.
“I have come to tell my brother, Emami that I am contesting the election for governorship of Delta state under the party you, your daddy were members before.
“Under the party every great man and woman was a member before, the SDP and that is the party, Olorogun Felix Ibru won election with, that produced free education, which we must go back to.
“I don’t need to introduce myself to you that I can do it. Just as if it were your turn today, Emami, I will say you can do it because you believe in the state.
“The first litmus test, is believing in this land. I believe in this land. I have come to plead with you, where you will be, I will not be there just as where I will be, you will not be there.
“Where you and I have reached today, is how Delta can be greater. Delta State has everything God has given to us to be great but we need somebody with foresight and with a business sense.
“If you Emami, says you want to be governor today, I will support you because you have a business sense. We cannot toy with our heritage and heritages of our children anymore”, the renowned Criminologist said.
“It is for that and plenty reasons that I have come to plead with you that all the powers you know and have, forget party affiliation because you want to be proud of somebody you can call your governor”, Gbagi added.
