The aspiration of frontline governorship hopeful in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, received yet another boost, weekend, as about 108 former warlords under the Presidential Amnesty Pogramme, PAP, Phase 1, 2 and 3, pledged to team up with him to ensure he emerges governor in 2023.
Speaking, Friday, January 7, the ex-agitators told the leading governorship aspirant that they would work with him in their various units to ensure success of his dream to Government House, Asaba.
Self-styled ‘General’ (Chief) Andabafa Opunamah, ‘General’ Odogwn and ‘General’ (Chief) Ese Arigo assured the security expert of their support.
“We are ready to work with you, you can as well work with us. If you like us and you call us, we will come and meet with you. If you do not, we will not come to meet you. Let it be on record that you are the first person to call us.
“I have told my people that the first person who would call us, that is the person we will work with. Money is not the first thing, if you put money ahead of us, we will not work with you again”, he said.
The one-time councilor and pioneer youth leader, Burutu local government council, noted that they were not ready to jettison his aspiration for another aspirant.
Also speaking, “General” Wilson Waire, from Ughelli south local government area, who corroborated his colleague, assured Gbagi of their support
“As you have called us, we will work with you. Those of us who are ex-agitators, we work with people who respect us. We collaborate with our colleagues in other states. As we are going to work with you, we will call our colleagues in other states,” he asserted.
Waire, who spoke on behalf of the Urhobo ex-agitators, hinted: “We will support you to the last, tell us what to do early enough, so that we will know what to do at the right time”.
‘General’ Godspower Madoko, PAP, phase II, from Bomadi local government area, who doubles as the leader of PAP, phase III and ‘generals’ in the state, from Tamigbe in Burutu local government area, who spoke on behalf of phase III Ijaw ‘generals’, said: “We are very serious people, we believe in action more than words. You are the very first person that is calling us, we are going to do the needful.”
“Believe us today that we will not disappoint you , but the only thing we are asking from you is to give us that honour. Our leaders will give the directive, we will go to our units and we will deliver, we will work to the fullest. When you take us serious, we take you serious”, he reiterated.
Meanwhile, another group known as Delta State Comrade Community, comprising post graduates and under graduates, have equally indicated their support for Gbagi.
The group led by Comrade Whiska Anthony Akpojotor, former Students Union Government, SUG, president, DSPZ, in company of Comr. Itaire Godspower, ex-SUG president, Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe Oghara and Comr. Deniran Rioborue, SUG president, Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, said: “We have come to see you to ensure that we work with you so that come 2023, you are elected as our governor.”
‘We want to assure you that we will take the campaign to all the campuses to tell them and give them reasons they should give you their votes.
“We are going to partner with you to see the success of this project. It will be a great joy that the man who has the passion for the youths, women, men, elders becomes the governor of Delta State come 2023”, they stated
In his separate responses, the private investor, Olorogun Gbagi, disclosed that his administration, would profile ex-agitators to find a lasting solution to their plights.
“By the grace of God, I have a plan for agitators. With the instrumentality of government, I will ensure we have a permanent solution to agitation”.
Gbagi said, “I am the only aspirant in the race, if you want to be governor, you must show Deltans where the sudden wealth you are flaunting comes from; yesterday, you were nobody, today, you are going about with stolen money to deceive Deltans; what is your pedigree, the people want to know.”
He charged them to get their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, saying: “I want all of you to go back home, go and get your PVCs. On the day of election, if you do not have PVC, you are not serious”.
Lamenting that Niger Delta region has been marginalized for years, he said: “The oil and gas belongs to us, we must determine who will rule us.”
Appreciating the comrades’ community for its solidarity, he said: “In the three groups that are here, if there is anyone that has not received his entitlement from the Federal Government and you have your identity card, it is more interesting to me because I will take the course upon myself to see that you get your entitlements within the ambit of law.”
