By Johnson Ebigide
Olorugun (Barr.) Kenneth Gbagi, a frontline People’s Democratic Party (PDP) founder and aspirant for the governorship seat in Delta State, ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state, has promised better days, if elected as the governor of the state.
Olorogun Gbagi gave the cheering indication when he briefed a mammoth crowd of journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the temporary secretariat of the union in Asaba, the state capital.
Olorogun Gbagi said that the state governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, was an astute administrator who was laying down a solid foundation for his successor to build upon as the governor of the state, adding that as an industrialist, he would consolidate on the gains of the Okowa Administration, if elected as the governor of the state in 2023.
He said that detractors were bent at tarnishing his image ahead of 2023 gubernatorial election in the state, adding that it behoved on journalists in the state and beyond to open up his closet to ascertained if there were offences and damaging reports about him as a one time minister of education in Nigeria or his relationship with his employees as an industrialist and his community in the Urhobo Land of Delta State.
He reiterated his desire to curb unemployment and youth restiveness, if elected governor of Delta State, adding that as an industrialist, he would establish new industries and rehabilitate ailing ones in the 25 local government areas as the governor of the state.
Gbagi, who enjoined journalists to take their onerous task of the watchdogs of the society beyond the mundane, said that there was the need to beam the searchlight on any person aspiring to lead the people, adding that it was not enough to analyse the suitability of political office holders from mere says, devoid of investigative facts.
He said that all the negative insinuations against his person by his detractors against his aspiration to become the governor of the state had contributed immensely in boosting his image, adding that such unnecessary mudslinging had become known to the electorates in the state.
Responding, the Chairman of the NUJ, Delta State Council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, thanked Gbagi for coming to brief the press in the state, adding that journalists in the state were not given to rumour mongering, just as he said that governance should be anchored on fulfilment of the aspirations of the people.
He enjoined journalists in the state to deeply verify their reports before making such public, adding that it was the height of unethical journalistic practice for any journalist to report any story from a one sided investigation of issues.
Comrade Ikeogwu said that the NUJ in the state would no longer condone irresponsive governance, adding that there was the need for Governor Okowa’s successor to surpass his infrastructural and human capital development in the state.