PDP lucky to have Gbagi as Guber aspirant - Bamanga Tukur

Former National Chairman of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Bamanga Tukur, has said the party and Delta State are privileged to have renowned entrepreneur and ex-education minister, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, as a leading aspirant in the 2023 governorship race in the state.

The former party chairman and presidential aspirant described Gbagi as a presidential material whose antecedents speak volumes and whose membership of the PDP was very valuable at both the state and national levels.

Dr Tukur made the comments when he played host to former education minister and Delta 2023 gubernatorial hopeful on Tuesday, in London, United Kingdom.

Tukur said that it was a thing of joy that an industrialist, entrepreneur and philanthropist of renown had chosen to seek the governorship position in Delta State on the platform of the PDP obviously to render quality service to the people of Delta State.

The prominent politician and business tycoon urged Gbagi to remain steadfast in the PDP as he had always been and join hands with committed leaders to ensure that the party becomes more united and stronger than ever as they move to re-establish the party as the number-one political party in Nigeria.

Tukur reaffirmed his belief that the PDP could shake off its challenges, become more united and formidable for all stakeholders as well as live up to expectation of most Nigerians in delivering desired diviends of democracy to all citizens, adding that party needed leaders like Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi to achieve this.

The former minister for industries asserted that Gbagi was eminently qualified to be a presidential standard-bearer in the country, saying Delta was blessed to have the lawyer and criminologist as one of the persons stepping forward to contest for the mantle of leadership as governor.

“You are, in your rights, a presidential material, bearing in mind your entrepreneurial acumen and as a provider of employment across the country in whatever position you do,” Dr Tukur observed.

Meanwhile, Tukur charged journalists, as the fourth estate of the realm, to be alive to their responsibility by holding public office holders and political leaders accountable based on objective reportage, even as they should endeavour to commend those who have done well in service delivery to the people and the nation.

Nevertheless, journalists should expose elected and appointed officers who are not working for the people or steal the country’s commonwealth for personal aggrandizement, he further said.

Responding, Kenneth Gbagi thanked the elder statesman for standing firmly for justice, equity and opening doors for enterprising Nigerians and Africans in Diaspora.

Dr Bamanga Tukur is a prominent Nigerian businessman, seasoned politician and presidential aspirant who served as a state governor, industry minister and national chairman of the PDP.