People’s Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders and delegates in Ethiope West local government area, Delta State, declared they were proud of leading governorship aspirant of the party and industrialist, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi.
They said from available records, he had distinguished himself as an entrepreneur, so they would follow him.
Chief Solomon Obareki, Chairman of the party in the area, which is home base of former governor, Chief James Ibori, observed when Gbagi consulted ward chairmen and party delegates at Oghara, headquarters of the area, “This is my own is different from this is our own”.
His words: “I have told you people before that our leader that is coming, is at home. There is a difference between this is my own and this is our own. I want to plead that from today, henceforth, when he wants to move to anywhere across the state, he should call us so that we will follow him because we are stronger as multitude”.
“Let us listen to what the incoming governor has to say. He has a lot of plans for this local government and for the individuals. If you look very well, you will see that in these whole area, we do not have any industry.
“It is either people who does POS business, people who are into transportation business or photography job. This man has proven himself as an Industrialist; as a people- oriented man. Someone who will make us proud and I think that is what all of us need.
“He was a Minister of State for Education before and we know all the things he put in place. So, let us all open our minds and listen to him,” Obareki added.
Earlier in his address, Olorogun Gbagi, who went through memory lane, disclosed that his training grounds begun in Oghara and Sapele local government area.
“It is this local government and Sapele that made me what I am across the globe today,” he pointed out.
Paying glowing tributes to Chief Ibori, the criminologist said: “No matter what you and I think, Ibori signifies PDP and politics in Delta state and this is his local government. Honour goes to that man who honour is due.”
Gbagi, who presented himself to the people, charged them to look inwardly into his sources of wealth and if found wanting, should not be voted for.
While noting that he was not on the wanted list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Department of State Services (DSS), he disclosed that some of the gubernatorial contenders have questions to answer from security agencies.
“Chairman, people will come to you, some of them cannot enter London because the London police are looking for them, EFCC had already marked their houses that they are thieves, they have stolen tax payers money. They will go and borrow some dollars and money they have stolen and gotten which they cannot account for.
“Search me, if the same is my case, do not vote for me. They are coming to deceive you to destroy your foundation. EFCC, SSS and ICPC are not looking for me.
“I am in the race to change the narrative, we can change the fortune of all of us here so that our unborn children, our grandchildren will have hope. Check all of us and do what is right so that God will do for you what you cannot do for yourselves.
“I will not disappoint you if I become governor come 2023. All of you who are seated here, your expectations about me; of what I have to offer as a governor is high; and I do not want to come to you to give you excuses. I do not want that because I know God has been kind to me and what I have to offer in return is turn the situation here around,” he said.
Praying for the success of Gbagi gubernatorial ambition, the local government organizing secretary, Chief Vincent America, said: “This movement you have embarked on, you will succeed, you will triumph.”
“Anyone who wants to contest this position with you, we will give him his own. It is not your own that he will compete with you. You will be given sympathy votes”, he added.
