In an unprecedented move, Delta State billionaire Governorship aspirant, Olorogun Kenneth Gbaji has said that if elected Governor in 2023, he will not live in government house, will drive his Rose Royce car to work and ensure that in the first 100 days, there will be no unemployed youths in Delta State while the state’s economy will experience huge transformation vowing to resign if he cannot achieved this.
““When I was the Minister of Education (State) I has nothing to do with government salary and I did not use government cars as the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria I used my personal cars before I left office and that’s exactly what I will do when I became the governor of Delta state in 2023 by the special grace of God.
Olorogun Gbagi who spoke during a media interaction session with journalists in his country home, Oginibu in Ughelli South Local Area of Delta state said toughness as an entrepreneur enable in grow is business over the years and now spend between about N18milion to pay salaries of staff of his organisations every month as the biggest investor in the state. “I have paid my dues, Deltans should consider me in 2023 as their governor.”
Speaking further, he said “I own the second tallest building in Lagos State. I want to assure you that at the end of one year in office as governor of Delta Sate, if you do not see industries coming, if you do not see Deltans removed from poverty and if you do not see a change in the infrastructure landscape of Delta State, I will resign.”
On the public perception of him as a “Tough” man who would not make life easy for the average Delta but he said; “even Jesus Christ was a tough man.” According to him, the perception of toughness is different front from his understanding of the concept of toughness in a relationship between a father and his child reassuring that he would do his best in the middle of what people perceive as toughness.
“For me, I see being ‘Tough’ as a measure of discipline. What I am today is a product of the way my father brought me up, using the criterion of discipline and hence I am tough.”
“It is the duty of the people of Delta State to identify the good people who are capable of developing the state and maximizing all its abundant potentials among them. So I want you journalists to serve as the apostle that preaches the gospel of how to change the narrative of Delta State and its people”.
Responding to a comment that the resources coming to the state do not match the poor infrastructural development, he blamed on pass administration saying that they have amassed huge debt. According to him, 64 per cent of whatever fund that comes to Delta State is used by Governor Okowa to service inherited debts.
“The money does not get to the governor, as received. 64 per cent of it is deducted right from the bank because of an agreement earlier signed. So, instead of making damning remarks about the performance Governor Okowa, we should appreciate the job he is doing and criticize him constructively when we have the facts and figures to do so.
Olorogun Gbagi emphasized the importance of unity and togetherness in Delta state and challenged the people to stand against crime and do all it takes to get Delta State to its rightful position.
He appealed to the media to support him, saying he is an honest and transparent politician, businessman and industrialist with nothing to hide and he is willing to use God’s blessings in his life, his experience and expertise to build a better Delta state.
Speaking on zoning, Olorogun Gbagi said PDP did not zone the party ticket to any tribe in the state but Senatorial District. Between 1999 to 2007 my senior brother, Chief James Ibori(Delta Central) was governor, 2007 to 2015 my dear friend, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta South) was governor, now Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor of Delta state is from Delta North. So for fairness and equity, come 2023 it is the turn of Delta Central to produce the next governor in the state.
When ask if is not too early for him to campaign for governor when the present government is yet to settle down with legal battles, he said he is not campaigning but doing consultation with friends and leaders in the state ahead of 2023. “Some persons serving in government are waiting to gather money enough before beginning consultations, noting that he needed not wait for anything and that at the appropriate time the men will be separated from the boys.”
Olorogun Gbagi said that he would not submit to any decision emanating from the leadership of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) regarding the choice of the flag bearer of the PDP since the UPU has no role to play in politics.
He advised the UPU to be careful in its involvement in the politics of Delta State recalling that in 2014, UPU took a decision that Dr Ifeanyi Okowa would not be governor of Delta state but that 72 hours after that decision christened the “Uvwiamuge Declaration” was made, “the UPU disintegrated and the body was yet to find its feet while Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has completed a first tenure and going on with a second tenure as governor of Delta state.
“The members of leadership of the UPU are core members of our families, we could consult them; they are custodians of Urhobo culture but they are not politicians and should have nothing to do with politics”
Responding to a question he said he was not too old for the job of governor of Delta State as governance is a serious business which should not be left in the hands of children. “There is no room for children who are still pampered and wearing Diaper. The business of ruling Delta State is a serious business and we are not going to leave it for children”.
