By Onome Oghenetega
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Delta State, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, has stated that he remains the best candidate to succeed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
He said with his huge popularity in the state, he defeat two other frontline runners – Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Deputy Senate President and candidate of the APC) and Chief Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta Assembly Speaker and candidate of the PDP) – in the forthcoming elections.
Gbagi, a former minister of state for education during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke when he addressed journalists at his Oginibo country-home of Delta State.
He, however, called on Nigerians to support any presidential candidate from the Southern part of the country in the 2023 general elections.
“I will support any presidential candidate from the South. I do not know how to pretend.
“I urged Nigerians to support the shift of government from the North to South based on the principle of equity.
“We believe in one Nigeria and I do not hate the North. Anything that will scuttle the shift of governance to the South for eight years and back to the North for eight years is unacceptable,” he said.
The governorship candidate said that this was his first time of appearing on the ballot papers to seek for elective position, assuring that he would win the 2023 election.
Gbagi, a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta, said that his decision to leave the party was not to divide votes as being insinuated in some quarters.
“I want to be on the ballot papers and let God decide my faith at the poll.
“I am running on the ticket of SDP and for your information, this is the first time in my life I will be running for an election in any political party.
“I am a competent man and that is why I wanted to prove my competency at the ballot.
“Among the gladiators wanting to be governor in Delta, I am their senior brother in the profession of politics.
“I am the only one who has served Nigeria at the cabinet level of the Federal Government,” he said.
On the structure of SDP in Delta, Gbagi said that the 2023 general elections would not be based on structures, adding that the electorate would vote for leaders that would guarantee the future of their children.
The candidate said he would work with the youth, pensioners and others that meant well for the state.
Gbagi assured the people that when voted as governor, he would revive the ailing industries in the state to generate employment and increase the revenue base of the state.
According to him, other areas of focus would be: education, health, pensioners, among others.
