Leading gubernatorial aspirant in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, has dumped the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to pursue his ambition of industrializing the state and his youth emancipation programme.
Gbagi, a renowned entrepreneur and former minister of education, has emerged the governorship standard bearer of the SDP in the State for the 2023 governorship election.
His emergence is coming on the heels of his withdrawal from the PDP governorship primaries held last week Thursday in Asaba.
The former Minister defected to the SDP after he fell out with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over his open support for the PDP governorship candidate and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori.
Gbagi emerged as the SDP Governorship Candidate during the primary of the party held at the Ughelli Kingdom Hall in Ughelli, the administrative headquarter of Ughelli north local government area of the state.
The Oginibo-born politician and a Criminologist was the sole governorship aspirant of the SDP.
He emerged through a voice motion moved by a delegate from Bomadi Ward 3, Mr Mike Ujobolo.
The motion was supported by another delegate, Pastor Victor Agbula Igbule from Ward 6 in Udu local government area.
Gbagi was subsequently declared winner and candidate of the party by SDP Returning Officer, Pastor Highness Akporode.
Gbagi, represented by his political adviser, Chief Austin Kpomah, commended the delegates for making him the governorship candidate of the party.
He stated that SDP will defeat the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress – Chief Oborevwori and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in the 2023 general elections.
The former Minister promised to bring his wealth of experience as a businessman and industrialist to bear as governor of the state.
Gbagi called on Deltans to support him to rescue the state from the ruling PDP, “The time has come for us to go to government house. It is time for us to preach the gospel. Let us go to the market, our wards and local government areas to preach Gbagi and SDP”, he added.