Delta State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Wednesday, dumped its gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 election, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, saying it’s not part of the case instituted against the State Governor-elect, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori at the election petition tribunal.
Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Oke Idawene who disclosed this when he led other executive members and stakeholders of the party in the state to pay a congratulatory visit to the State Governor-elect in Asaba, said; “coming here this afternoon is not an accident. You will recall that about three years ago, I had a dream and told you that am the next Governor of Delta State.
“Today, the dream has come to pass. Now, we looked at it, I cannot have that dream and somebody come to truncate it. We in agreement, in unison applied officially to the tribunal that we are not part of any litigations against your (Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori) emergence.
“This visit is calculated to tell the world that we did not do it in hiding, we did it to say that before SDP, there is a Delta State and that you are the Governor-elect and in a few days, you will be the Governor of Delta and not PDP. The entire Exco here is saying that everything we would need to do to ensure that Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori succeeds in Delta, we will do it.
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“We are also aware of some bombardment from Abuja and I said we are Deltans, we are doing what Delta stands for and not party affairs and as we leave here, some of us will be in the tribunal as agents of the party to justify that the man (Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi) was never ready for elections, he didn’t pay any agents and that we have rejected him body, soul and spirit.
“At a time, if you open your legs as a man, you will never succeed. We have close our legs together, during the elections nobody here voted for SDP, we all pressed PDP, and we also voted for our Governor (Dr Ifeanyi Okowa) for Presidency. Having said so, we can testify from Olomoro there was zero votes for SDP in my unit.
“We plan this visit so as to identify with this coming administration. You are (Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori) leading us for eight years and not four years. All litigations will go away, we are not going to say you are for someone else tomorrow whether PDP, SDP, APGA, there is a Delta State and that is what we stand for.
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“I want to also say here, we have made up our minds that we are going to pull the cause from beginning to the end by the grace of God. Henceforth, we will stand with you by the grace of God and we will not defer, like I told you earlier, we will never leave you. Delta State must move forward”.
In his remarks, Oborevwori, said: “I am happy today that you are here and why am I happy? First is like coming back home because you have been my friend. Just because you belong to another party, I decided to allow you as Chairman of your party to run your party.
“Anytime you called me I will say to you, please let me manage my party as you are managing yours. I could remember you came to me three years ago that I am the next Governor of the State and I told you to stop it. I used the word stop it, do you want to kill me? He said to me I dreamt and told him that is your dream.
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“I have told Deltans I want to be Governor for all Deltans. I got the message that he (Oke Idawene) is paying me a courtesy call, just thinking it was a normal courtesy call and he told me that the case the party (SPD) had in court, he is no longer interested. In fact, it is something Delta State will never forget.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank all Deltans for the organic love because in all, we were able to win 21 out of the 25 local governments in the state by the special grace of God. I believe Deltans have spoken and the victory is for all of us. I am a Pan-Deltan and I want to serve Deltans.
“Thank you for coming, we will continue to work together to see how we can take Delta State to an enviable height and I know by the time we finished our first tenure by the special grace of God, Deltans will be very happy and Nigerians will be very happy as well.”
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