Aftermath of the suspension and subsequent sack of the erstwhile chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Delta State, Mr. Oke Idawene, the newly inaugurated State Caretaker Committee, headed by Chief Mrs. Esther Ikule, has passed a unanimous vote of confidence on the party’s governorship candidate, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, FNIM, OON as the undisputed guber flag bearer of the party in the March 18th 2023 election in the state.
The SDP Caretaker Committee, made this known on Saturday May 6th shortly after their formal inauguration at the Delta Central party Secretariat along Warri-Sapele road.
The confidence vote backed by a 3-point resolution, cautioned the former chairman, Idawene, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and their agents to henceforth desist from further attempts to drag the biggest employer of labour in the State and former minister of state for education, Olorogun Gbagi, into their disgraceful political gimmicks.
This was just as they vowed to resist any situation whereby the PDP would plant spies in SDP in Delta State.
The newly installed Caretaker Committee, declared total support for Gbagi, vowing to stand with him throughout the period of the petition.
While passing an “absolute” vote of confidence on the security expert, the leaders said they were formidable and united for an impressive show at the tribunal.
Addressing journalists at the end of the swearing in, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Mrs. Esther Ikule, said Gbagi was a true party man and that the people were proud of his ambition to liberate Delta State.
“We support him in totality, we will continue to pray, by the special grace of God he has paid his dues and is paying his dues. We are proud of him and he has done the party proud since he emerged the governorship candidate and we will not and will never be intimidated”, she declared.
She assured that the Committee would continue to support Gbagi in the pursuit of his mandate at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal until justice is dispensed in the matter.
On the issue of SDP distancing itself from the petition, the Caretaker Committee noted that “at no time did SDP executive in Delta State, before it was dissolved by the NWC on 2nd May 2023 met, discussed and agreed to write a letter dissociating the SDP in Delta from the election petition filed by Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi.
“Therefore, any purported letter signed by the former Chairman, Oke Idawene is, and was not authorized by the Party. It is fake, it is null and void and of no effect whatsoever and should be disregarded in its entirety”, the resolution signed by the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mrs. Esther Ikule read partly.
Similarly, the Caretaker Committee also passed a vote of confidence in the SDP National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, the National Secretary, the NWC and National Vice Chairman, South-South and expressed deep appreciation “for the excellent leadership, purposeful direction, and support in steering the Delta State Chapter of the party to overcome its current challenges.”
