PDP Leaders Seek Expulsion of Gbagi, Others for Anti-Party Activities

A group of party leaders under the aegis of Concerned PDP Leaders of Oginibo in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta has called for the expulsion of former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi for working against the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded general elections.

In a petition signed by Olorogun Andrew Desi; Mr. Viv Pela; Deacon Ken Pela; Mr Ochuko Mejire; Barr. Omoefe Pela; and Hon. Freeborn Onokata addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Barr. Kingsley Esiso and copied to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; former Governor James Ibori; former Deputy Governor Prof. Amos Utuama; Chairman Disciplinary Committee of the PDP Delta State; Chairman PDP Delta Central; Chairman PDP Ughelli South and Chairman PDP Jeremi Ward II, the leaders observed that Olorogun Gbagi worked against the candidates of the PDP and worked for candidates of opposition political parties.

The petition which was made available to Journalists, listed past and present political office holders in the area who aided Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi in the anti-party activities.

Such other personalities mentioned to have been involved in the anti-party activities include, Chief Emuoboh Gbagi, Current Special Adviser to the Governor on DESOPADEC who was seen disbursing funds and canvassing for votes for YES party in Units 15 and 16 of Oginibo; Barr. Tareri Avwomakpa, Current Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters who was seen disbursing funds and canvassing for votes for YES party in Unit 23 of Oginibo, Hon. Lucky Oniyan current Councillor representing DSIEC Jeremi Ward 16 who coordinated the disbursement of funds and canvassing for votes for YES party in Imode.

Others include Hon. Gbenga Avwomakpa a former Councillor; Hon. John Adjeke a former two-term Supervisory Councillor and Christian Ushevwitode, current PDP Youth Leader for Jeremi Ward II who were also seen disbursing funds and canvassing for votes for YES party in their various polling units in Oginibo.

Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi

The petitioners alleged that Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi connived with others to collect funds meant for logistics for the said Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Jeremi Ward II to fund an opposition candidate of YES party to the detriment of his PDP candidates who had to go the extra miles to mobilise his teeming supporters to prosecute the said election.

According to the petitioners, “based on the foregoing, we believe we have established a prima facie case against Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and the other 6 listed persons on the following counts of disobeying the lawful directives of the party by working for the YES party House of Assembly candidate instead of the PDP House of Assembly Candidate and engaging in anti-party activities.”

The petitioners also stated that a prima facie case has been established against Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and his son Olorogun Emuoboh Gbagi on the following counts of disobeying the lawful directives of former Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama to involve other leaders of the community/ward in the deployment of logistics by using such to work against the interest of the PDP.

The petitioners emphasised that an analysis of votes in the March 9 Election results in Agbaghara, Imode and Oginibo which makes up Jeremi Ward II, shows that because of the anti-party activities of Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and 6 others listed earlier, the YES party got a whooping 1,049 votes from the 3 communities representing 83 percent of total votes of 1,258 gotten by the YES party in the entire local government area.

The petitioners stressed that whilst Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi had engaged in such activities in the past they were not bothered because he wasn’t operating in the mainstream PDP at the state level and as such they were prepared for his antics, however, having come to the mainstream PDP, such activities coming from someone benefiting from patronage and appointments from the Government to the detriment of those who have remained loyal to the party over the years, could spell doom for the party in the locality if not contained, adding “in view of the foregoing, we hereby recommend that Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and the 6 others earlier identified be EXPELLED from the party in line with the provisions of Section 58 (1) (c) (d) (f) and Section 59 (1) (g) of the constitution of the party.