Former Minister of State for Education and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has decried the security situation in Nigeria and called for emergency actions to save the country.
Gbagi, who is aspiring to govern Delta State in 2023 on the banner of the PDP, decried the state of affairs in the country, lamenting that Nigeria is failing on many fronts.
Speaking at a meeting with indigenes of Delta North Senatorial district, in Lagos, weekend, Gbagi said that if proactive measures were not taken, the insecurity issue will overwhelm the country. He pointed out that there is no need for security chiefs to surround themselves with heavy security personnel when the citizens are not protected.
On Delta, Gbagi, whose Delta Central senatorial zone is favoured to produce the next governor going by the power-sharing arrangement in the state, said Delta deserves the best in 2023 and he is the best man to succeed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Presenting his blueprint tagged; “For the greater Delta State 2023,” Gbagi said he has been very instrumental, influential and on-ground for every government that ruled the country since 1999, said he would improve on the fortunes of Delta, if elected.
On education, he mentioned that existing schools in the state will be made viable and that each local government area in Delta State will get four new secondary schools with boarding house, noting that the essence of having such is for students to move from their locations of living to another, as a learning process.
Gbagi, who recalled that in his 13 months as Minister of State, Education, he created 13 new universities under 13 months, said that government should not have business running schools which he said should handed over to private investors for effective and productive utilization.
On economy, Gbagi stated that as the highest investor in the Delta State, he will bring his entrepreneurial acumen to bear, noting also that government involvement in business will cease. He said that he will use the instrument of government to boost business in the state by attracting more investors with free land allocation for investments.
On tourism and entertainment, he promised to make Delta State the new hub for leisure destination. He noted that Delta State posses the highest number of entertainers such as musicians and comedians and he will draw up an initiative that will bring the entire entertainers together as one body.
Noting that Niger Delta has an untapped tourism resource, he added that creating new projects for tourism will attract fun seekers to the state, get the youths employed and keep them off militancy.
Olorogun Gbagi said that creating new Seaport will be one of his top priorities, saying he sees no reason businessmen in southern part of the country should suffer much to have their goods delivered from one port.
On insecurity, Gbagi said that as a trained criminologist, he would deploy strategies to tackle insecurity headlong so as to give investors and tourists the confidence that Delta State is safe for business.
Fielding questions from participants, Gbagi noted that based on his core agenda which will be hinged on education, seaport, health, agriculture, tourism among others he will develop Delta and boost development in Niger Delta.
In response to his appeal for support, the Delta North Senatorial district stakeholders pledged a massive approval of his declaration.
Speaking, Cassy D, a younger brother to late reggae artist, Ras Kimono, said he would mobilise all his members to vote for Gbagi, noting that he did it before for all the former governors in the state. Several speakers spoke in like manner, adding that Gbagi is their in-law, having married from Delta North.
Vanguard News Nigeria