Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has come hard on the Delta State governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for his act of “betrayal” for his selfish ambition.
Obasanjo knocked Okowa, when he in company of his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Osun state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, former Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke and Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, to seek his support for the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubarkar, the presidential candidate of PDP in the 2023 election in Abeokuta.
The elder statesman, also tongued lashed Tambuwal who allegedly betrayed him (Obasanjo) and PDP in 2011 by upturning an earlier arrangement for Mulikat Akande-Adeola to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The reaction of Obasanjo is coming after the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Delta State and former minister of State for education, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi OON, raised the alarm that the State was bleeding to death under Okowa, haven received over N2.5 trillion from the federal government and incurred N387 billion within seven and half years of his administration.
Gbagi, FNIM, the largest private investor in the state, had earlier said Atiku can never be president of Nigeria.
He maintained that it was unthinkable and insensitive for some politicians to return power to the north after president Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in office.
He warned that the implication of attempting or thinking of doing otherwise, will be injurious to the foundation of all children from the south yet unborn.
He tressed that people must have character, just as he noted that one of the greatest problems that is missing today is character.
“The North has produced president Muhammadu Buhari. His tenure is now ending by 2023. It therefore follows that south will produce the next president.
“We cannot be toyed with and we cannot be told to close our eyes to the issue of rotational presidency between the north and the south. It is a no! no!! no!!!.
“Fellow Nigerians, this is very serious, let your conscience be your guide. Let the south do their presidency for one term of eight years and power move to the north. We must live as a people and respect the idiosyncrasy of one another and by that arrangement, it is a southern president” Gbagi declared.
According to him, “The only equitable thing for any reasonable man to do and the fact that such person from the south as it is today that meets the requisite of the rotational presidency of Nigeria as agreed as part of our life today are two persons; the presidential candidate of SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, he is from south from Ondo State.
The renowned Criminologist appealed to the conscience of those from the south and the north to respect the idiosyncrasy of one another to end the various strives and agitation for succession in order for the country to remain one unity entity.
Hear him: “My position is clear and I want the Church to champion it, I want everybody from the south to champion this position and I want every good Nigerian from the north who believe in equity to champion this course by voting only a presidential candidate from the south.
“Nigerians ignore in its totality, we must shun the fear, greed and blackmail to work with that arrangement of north-south. North is finishing, south must takeover the country for us to co-exist as a people.
“The issue I raised on Saturday about Atiku, is an issue of principles. While most Nigerians we beg them to develop the culture of principle as the basis for continuity of this country.
“What I said is definitely speaking as a southerner. Number one, for the avoidance of doubt, the country as it is cannot be left to be ruled by one region.
“Without sounding immodest Peter Obi is from the south of Nigeria, we don’t care where or which State these candidates are coming from. It was agreed.
“The reason why it was easy for Buhari to become president it was because the president who was leaving office is from the south. So, Buhari from the north is now finishing, what on earth will make us remain slaves or not to think in that pattern?
“Why must we drag the nation into another quagmire of violence and ungodly behaviour. Nigerians ignore in its totality, we must shun the fear, greed, blackmail to work with that arrangement of north-south. North is finishing, south must takeover the country for us to co-exist as a people.
“Look at all the strives, Biafra, is fighting to go. Oduduwa, is fighting to go, the Niger Delta is fighting to go. All of these is because of distrust.
“Infact, during Babangida’s days, it was the fear that Babangida has when he established NRC and SDP to fuse Nigerians to live together and come out with the best”, he said.
The security expert, noted that it is unthinkable that after the north is about completing its tenure of eight years with president Muhammadu Buhari, power would be retained in the north with Alhaji Atiku, a former Vice president.
“I know the pain and the situation we went through whilst we were in government with President Goodluck Jonathan, it will not work for us as a people.
“Let us not in a hurry to forget where we are coming from, let us not forget that the wealth of this nation is squarely rested in the south particularly from my State and other riverine area States”, he warned.
When we talk about character and integrity, Does Gbagi have any of these two? The man is a complete liar, wicked and lacks integrity.