Delta Guber Primary: Okowa Bent On Sinking PDP’s Fortune, Gbagi Alleges

• Accuses Okowa Of Threat To Life

• Says Governor Predetermined Oborevwori To Win Governorship Primary

The ongoing primary election of the Delta State PDP has taken a twist with one of the frontline Governorship aspirants, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi pulling out of the race just as he accused the governor of intimidating and bribing ad hoc delegates to vote for his alleged preferred Governorship candidate, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

Gbagi whose allegations were contained in a twelve paragraphs petition addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Iyorcha Ayu, also accused Gov. Okowa of threatening to kill him (Gbagi), adding that the governor was hell-bent on sinking the fortune of the party in the State.

The former Minister of State for Education explained in his petition that he was in Government House, Asaba to attend the meeting of PDP ad hoc delegates called by the Governor in his capacity as a delegate from his Local Government Area, Ughelli South.

According to him, the Governor denied him entry into the venue of the meeting, adding that when he (Gbagi) insisted on being part of the meeting, the Governor allegedly sent his Aide-De-Camp ADC with an order to shoot him if he failed to leave the Government House.

“When pleas by the Chief of Staff to the Governor did not move me to leave the Government House, I was accosted by a gun-toting ADC to the Governor, Mr Frank Omokhoje Longe, who told me he had orders to shoot me and nothing will happen if I did not immediately vacate the premises of the Government House, Asaba.

“That I have been told that the governor does not want me in the PDP or PDP meetings and I was still insisting on attending the meeting”, Gbagi stated.

Gbagi further alleged that the governor, Dr Okowa while threatening and intimidating the delegates that attended the meeting, at the same time, bribed them with N100,000 each with a promise to give them an additional N1 million each when they vote for his preferred governorship aspirant in the primary.

“The governor called the meeting to intimidate and witch-hunt the ad hoc delegates using the pomp and circumstances of his office and taxpayers’ money to overawe the delegates.

“The governor issued a threat against any person who he said would engage in anti-party activity by voting against his preferred candidate in the forthcoming primary election of the PDP

“He also offered inducement in the sum of N1 million and above if the delegates would vote for Sheriff Oborevwori. He said there would be more if they towed his line.

“On the spot, each delegate that was allowed into the venue was given N100,000 (One hundred thousand naira) with N1 million promised at the venue”, Gbagi further alleged.

He also accused Gov Okowa of sinking the fortune of PDP in the State with his preference for Hon. Oborevwori for reasons best known to him, adding that his choice was not marketable.

“Senator Okowa is bent on sinking the fortune of the PDP in Delta State with an unmarketable candidate for reasons best known to him, he is also using threats to the lives of members of PDP who cross the line”, he further stated.

The Frontline PDP aspirant who recalled his role in the formation of the PDP in the State in 1998, concluded his petition by withdrawing from the primary, thus invariably dropping his Governorship aspiration on the platform of the PDP.

He said: “I hereby withdraw my participation in the primaries, since Gov. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, contrary to all his promises and pledges that there would be a free, fair and level playing ground is untrue since he has predetermined the primary election.”

When The New Diplomat sent him a text message to re-confirmed the content of his petition to the national chairman of the party, Gbagi simply replied ‘Yes’.

However, he did not respond to the question as to his next line of action nor what his prayer to the national chairman is.