Facts have emerged on how Delta Central lobby group (DC-23) listed the largest private investor and leading governorship aspirant in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, among the three that made its final list.
A discreet investigation carried out by The Story, unravel the magic the industrialist deployed as against the rumour of allegation of bribery purportedly sponsored by one of the aspirants, Mr. James Augoye, former Works Commissioner who fell out after making the list of five that the Committee was allegedly bribed.
A source who do not want the name on print, disclosed that Gbagi, was a big shot that could not be waved off, following his antecedents as former governorship aspirant who contested election with Chief James Onanefe Ibori, former minister of education, former Chairman, Nigeria Legal Aid Council and an employer of labour.
According to our source, the lobby group, has finished its job of pruning down the aspirants from 14 to five and has further prune them down to three, revealing that the body wanted to prune the aspirants to one but decided to stop, following the bribery allegation that rocked the exercise.
Hear him: “For DC-23, we have finished our job. Our job was to prune down from 14 to five and to further prune them to three and our job stops there. We alerted the whole state that we have given you three names, begin to support anyone of them that you wish to support across the state. So, DC-23, our job has ended with the pruning and screening aspect of it.
“Well, some people were not happy with what we did but it is normal and they even raised accusation of bribery, that they gave us money and all that. One of them who is saying so, was fortunately to be in the first five and the question I have asked is that, people should ask him how much did he give to us when we dropped nine people for him?
Our source insisted that the leadership of the Committee are high disciplinarians who would not place their integrity at stake for peanuts, saying if he has given us money, then, he can make such an allegation but I can tell you that the Committee led by Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari, as Chairman and Prof. Sunny Awhefeada, as Secretary, would not dine with the Devil.
Speaking further, The Story, source said: “We looked at them based on merit. We are talking about politics, Gbagi, ran election with Ibori in 1998/1999 and since then he has remained in the party, he later became minister, he was chairman, Nigeria Legal Aid Council, he is an investor in this State, he is an employer of labour.
“There is no way we can say Gbagi, is nobody. Then, we will throw him away. Among the five, Gbagi is very qualified to be in the list, whichever way you look at it, he is very qualified. People say he doesn’t pay workers. Did he chain their legs to the office? They should resign but I know it is not true”, explaining that one reason why businesses die, is because sales representatives steal from their employers in a bid to get rich quicker than their employees.
“He has created jobs for people, he owns Robinson Plaza in Warri and that Plaza has been booming for more than 20 years and another one in PTI Junction. There is no way people like us can disqualify him. We picked him on merit” the source declared.
With this mind-blowing revelation, it nails to the cross the allegation making the rounds that Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, bribed his way through the screening exercise professionally conducted by DC-23 Screening Committee.
