Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi OON and his running mate, Chief Mrs Oshilim Ishioma Rosemary, got a rousing welcome as they took their campaign to Patani, the administrative headquarter of Patani local government area of Delta State.
Gbagi FNIM, who spoke on Thursday January 12th 2023, while addressing the three royal fathers in Patani local government area, at the palace of the Pere of Kabowei Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Barr. Shadrach Erebulu, Adou lll, who doubles as the chairman of Patani Council of Traditional Rulers, Ebenana-owei of Tarakiri Kingdom HRM Dr. Owoupele Danladi Foubiri, PhD, Angulu 1, and Ebenanaowei of Kumbowei kingdom, HRM Dr. Jackson Foubiriowei Angalabiri Egbain, II and their Advisory Council of Chiefs, said the election should be based on character and competence of the candidates.
This is just as he declared at the palace, that he is the most qualified person to move the State forward, promising to rid the State of insecurity, corruption and restore peaceful coexistence as governor of the state.
The biggest employer of labour in the state said he would offer Deltans what he did in his private business life.
He called on the monarchs to investigate all of them who are aspiring to lead the State to know what they have done in their private lives before venturing into politics to engage the youths and develop the State.
He said Robinson Gbagi Plaza on PTI Junction and Deco road, Signatious Hotel and other industries which have emancipated over 20, 000 youths belongs to him, “search me, my profile will be made known”, he said.
He insisted that other things to consider when making governorship choice which he strongly believe should not be based on party basis are character, competence, capacity, commitment, mental and entrepreneurial sense to do the work.
“We can make all promises, but, let us examine the person making the promises using the parameters identified above. How much of trust can we place in the person making the promise”, Gbagi asked?
He lamented that virtually all the infrastructure belonging to the state government in Patani LGA have collapsed, making movement and meaningful development almost impossible.
“The situation is more precarious for you as traditional rulers. Anybody who tells you that you should not worry, the poorer your community becomes, the worst it is for you as traditional rulers.
“I am sure the allowance your father received so many years ago, the difference will not be much. The same vehicle, stipends and situation, we are being deceived.
“This your local government, Patani, can produce wealth. You don’t just know that Patani can produce wealth. God who created this place and named it Patani, is not wicked to the people.
“The sand you have, can produce money, if you properly harness it, the fish you have can bring money and you can arrange it in such a way that you become the block city of Delta State.
“You can do all the kind of blocks, you can arrange them and take them to cities where they need them.
“My government will create walls around the river banks across all the coastal areas of Delta that have produced the wealth of the State, except that they are being neglected, where their money is good but they are not good to enjoy it.
“There are industries you can put here and foreigners will come and live in this domain and make sure that this place is profitable, we cannot continue to deceive ourselves.
“If you get your appropriate share of DESOPADEC money, you can do things better with it. My background, is industry. Unless we start revamping industries everywhere, we are wasting our time, hunger will be inevitable.
“Please, look at the candidates if not for anything but as traditional rulers that you are. The candidates are very small and they are all Urhobos or half Urhobos, partial Urhobos or lied to be Urhobos. Look at the candidates and inform your people with the information that you have.
“Look at the people who wants to govern you and come up with that person that you believe that will govern the State and there will be progress.
“For somebody to govern you, that means the person is better, you cannot bring somebody who is less better than you to govern you, unless you have agreed that you will never have any progress.
“If Okowa’s cap as it is now, is where this fan is, with all the available resources and everything, if he is bringing somebody who has worked with him, it means he is bringing somebody who is far below him and if that person is far below him, are we looking at progression, forwardness or backwardness?
“I hear when they say they will do more, which means if you people ever makes the mistake, they will borrow more for you to pay.
“Look at us all the candidates, what have they done before in their private lives to show that they love this place called Delta State?
“You people are being deceived again with billboards. The money they use in doing the billboards is your money, it is part of the tax you paid that they refused to use to develop this place which they have stolen and kept and which they will later bring to you people.
“When they come, collect the money because it is for you but vote for for SDP. We will bring free education to the university level. Olorogun Felix Ibru, started it and it was working before the military did what they did.
“We will give free education to every Deltan child to the university level free of charge. We will ensure that corruption, will be a thing of the past. From where I will takeover, corruption will never be part of Delta State government again.
“I am going to finish the payment of the arrears of pensioners and I am going to pay gratuities and retirement benefits from the day I takeover, if you retire today, we will give you your money.
“But all these backlogs which the people paid for but their money were stolen, I am going to set up an arrangement to deplete it because it is a criminal offense for people to work for you after 35 years, they finish, you cannot pay them their gratuities or their pensions. It is not a political situation”, he assured the kings.
Responding on behalf of the three kings, the host monarch, the Pere of Kabowei Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Barr. Shadrach Erebulu, Adou lll, said: ‘we have listened to you keenly and you have come and seen what is obtainable and what is most needed in Patani local government.
“And I am sure you have taken note of these things. It is a notorious fact that you are an industrialist, everyone already knows that about you. Everyone that has been in Warri, knows Robinson Gbagi Plaza and Signatious Hotel and other investments which you have within the State.
“Listening to you today, you have brought out laudable projects and ideas that you have in stock for our dear State and for Patani local government in particular.
“It is our prayers that God will grant you the grace to bring them to realist for us to see. You have come and you intend going into the local government to enlighten and talk to our people.
“Politics today, goes beyond party boundaries but it’s individuals we are looking at now and that is what you have also come to say today, we have heard you. You have come to seek our prayers and advice, our prayers today, are with you.
“And it is coming from the entire local government traditional institution, three kingdoms of Patani local government and believing that the ancestors of the three kingdoms and God in heaven will grant your heart desires that you have come with and to give that which you seek to help Delta State and Patani in particular”, he said.
In his prayers, the traditional ruler of Kumbowei kingdom, HRM Dr. Jackson Foubiriowei Angalabiri Egbain, II, said: “I open my heart to pray for you. This is a very peaceful local government. You came in peacefully and God guide you our peacefully.
“May the Lord give the two of you good health. If you don’t have good health, you cannot rule us so that you will be very strong enough and rule for the next eight years.
“We pray along that line because everybody will want to have a second tenure and which is eight years, may God grant you your mind. The Bible said whatever you desire for yourself, the Almighty father will give you.
“And that is why you are looking forward to being the governor of the state and that is your heart desire, may God grant you your heart desire.
“Ad you go out to campaign in our environment, let the angels guide you, let them speak for you. You are not alone and you are not going there alone, let Christ go with you”, he prayed.
At the palace, the Council of chiefs include Chief Cinema Obakunkwei, Orutu Izon William, Louis Enguru Julie Sokore, Pathfinder Ebikebena Sunday Bomabebe Agoinzon Aka-Igho and a host of others.
Addressing a large crowd of supporters at the venue of the rally Gbagi, assured them that his government would create jobs and provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.
He assured the people that Patani local government and other parts of the State would experience massive development and industrialization.
“What I want to tell you Patani people is that they are going to bring money to you. The money they stole that made our hospitals, social lives to die. No employment, take the money but vote for SDP”, he charged them.
