I’ve Climbed Politically Beyond Contesting Governorship Seat – Gbagi

Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has said that he has attained a political height in the scale of political hierarchy in Nigeria beyond the status of contesting as a State Governor.

Gbagi, who stated this in an exclusive interview with BigPen Online at his Oginibo country home residence, said that he is not thinking of joining the Governorship race in Delta state again because he has attained a status that is higher than governorship in the leadership hierarchy in the country.

He said that what he does now at his age is to give reasonable political advice to aspirants who are consulting him and not to be jostling for a Governorship position.

”I ve achieved everything any reasonable and responsible politician crave for in life. Politicians now troop to my home daily to pay respect, consult and seek advice that would help them realize their political ambition.

The business guru and Criminologist reiterated that all he does now is to offer genuine advice to those in authority to move the state and the country forward.

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“Am too old to contest for Governorship position now. I did that long under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party of which I was a foundation member. I have also been a Minister for State for Education in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so what else am I looking for contesting for Governorship position again”, he queried.

Olorogun Gbagi, however said that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa should not be blame for supporting the candidacy of the member representing Warri North in State Assembly and Delta South Senatorial hopeful, Mr. Michael Diden aka Ejele against his predecessor, former Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

According to him, it would be unfair for Okowa to support Uduaghan in the 2019 Delta South senatorial race and dump Ejele who stood firmly by him during the 2015 guber election.

“The politics of Delta South Senatorial district playing out currently is not to be blame on Governor Okowa, he declares.

According to him, former Governor, Chief James Ibori and Uduaghan should prevail on their supporters to reason with them and allow Okowa support whoever he chooses while he (Uduaghan) have a full run with whoever is contesting for the seat.

“If there is an agreement on rotation of the Senate seat between the three tribes of Isoko, Itsekiri and Ijaw, then Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan should prevail on their ward to reason with them and allow Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to have a full run with whoever is contesting the position from the same Senatorial district than to keep expecting Dr. Okowa to abandon somebody who staked his neck for him during his race to Government House in the last elections, it is not right”, he explained.

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BigPen Online reports that incumbent senator, James Manager, Ejele and the former governor, Uduaghan are the leading contestants in the Delta South race in which the former governor appears to be gaining more grounds.

Making comment on former Governor Ibori, Gbagi however, said that Chief James Ibori is a proud son of Delta state and a politician of substance like all other politicians that have rule in their state before, noting, “we are in constant touch discussing the way forward for Delta state and Nigeria at large”.

He also said that money politics has led to irresponsible leadership in the country at all level of governance.

According to the former Minister, politics of money, poverty and bad leadership are the bane of the country as people with clean records and means of livelihood can never get the people to vote them into position of authority.