Former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Goodnews Agbi has joined the 2023 Delta State Gubernatorial race on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Agbi who hails from Oyede, Isoko Local Government Area of Delta state has vowed that with the new NNPP, they are prepared to fight the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC with a view to breaking the dynasty in the state.
The aspirant who is a lecturer in the Department of Engineering, Delta State University, alleged that Delta had not witnessed any meaningful development or progress since the members of the Ibori political dynasty had been ruling the oil-rich state.
Dr Agbi who has been very active in Delta State politics since he joined in 1998, contested the governorship primaries of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Party, GDM, with Chief James Ibori who later became the Governor of Delta State as his only opponent. He also contested the PDP Governorship primaries in 2007, which were won by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Agbi was the pioneer Deputy Chairman of the National Youths Mobilization of PDP in 1998/ 1999, just as he was also a National Election Committee member of the PDP that conducted the primaries in Abia that returned former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu in 1998/ 1999. But he finally dumped the PDP for the APC in 2014.
In this interview, Agbi spoke on his Gubernatorial aspiration, his blueprint for Delta State, on the nomination of Anthony Alabi, his co-plaintiff in the celebrated criminal case against former Governor James Onanefe Ibori as his deputy, among others.
Why are you contesting for the Gubernatorial race in Delta come 2023 Delta election?
Of course you will agree with me that I am eminently qualified as a Deltan to contest for the governorship. I have the minimum qualifications. My primary and secondary schools are in existence, the results are with me and available.
Having said that about my eligibility, the other motivation is the desire to make a change. Delta is becoming a State ruled by Chiefdoms, who pass the baton of sub authority from one subordinate headman to another under the imposing pseudo democratic dictator. All the over 7 trillion Naira Delta has earned from 1999 to date has been frittered without any legacy project in the State.
Please name one project that you can point finger to that is in Asaba or Warri or elsewhere in the State for that huge money earned. Deltans must rise up to challenge these crop of people to stop further laceration of the financial bleeding of the State. Every lover of the State will want to join me to offer credible alternative to the leadership structure of the state.
We have to change the narratives, all Deltans aaAmust enjoy, feel or taste the riches of the State and not for only the few leaders of the PDP exclusive club. We must all rise up together to effect this change in 2023. That is why Iam contesting to right the injustices to the Delta People.
Do you have the Political Structure to achieve this?
The platform Iam using is relatively new. The NNPP, though it has been in existence in the country for some time now, it is still behind PDP and APC in terms of mobilization. We are not oblivious of the Herculean task ahead of us, but we are soldiering on. We are offering a new direction hence we are soliciting the supports of Deltans to vote out the PDP and the APC. We are doing serious sensitization and mobilization, but we are also waiting on the INEC time table to commence serious campaigns. That not withstanding, we have structures in all the local governments and wards. We urge Deltans to vote for individual and not parties. The APC and PDP have only gifted the people with miseries, suffering and pains. Deltans must rise up to the change their situations by voting out these people.
We are aware they have stockpiled money, including borrowing more money to prosecute the elections. We are not afraid of their money power. To confront these daunting challenges, we have set up a trust fund, ‘Agbi governorship campaign fund’ for the election. This notwithstanding, we urge all Deltans to rise to the challenge and take their Destiny in their hands in 2023. They cannot fold their hands and be onlookers in their State when a small band of opportunists are eating away their destiny and that of their children and children children.
Why did you choose Anthony Alabi as your running mate?
Over the years, he has shown himself to be trusted, focused and tested individual who could be a veritable partner in the struggle to change the status quo. Nigerians in general and Delta in particular are beginning to value integrity. Deltans would want to vote for somebody they can trust. People that can be entrusted with the State treasury. Alabi and I would form a perfect team with absolute moral rectitude, persons who would not scurry the State resources into salacious wastage abroad and within without investing them in Delta State. He is somebody, if elected I can delegate duties without fear of pecuniary infractions. The vault of Delta State and financial inflows is tempting to those with itching fingers
You were reported to have said that you will merge the Universities in Delta if elected as the governor in 2023, what would it portend to the state?
We are going to undertake total reforms of the Educational Sector. To achieve this you will need to plug all leakages. The scale of pilfering, over invoicing and underperformance is humongous. All the State earnings will be judiciously utilized if voted into power. One of the areas we shall channel these savings to is Education. Why should an indigene of Delta State be paying around two hundred and fifty thousand for school fees in a State University of a rich State like Delta? Why are we creating more Universities whereas the existing ones are ill equipped?
Some of the Campuses of the Delta State University are still at their original state when the university was established. No improvement. No standard equipment. Lecturers are not employed because of paucity of funds. Come to Oleh campus for example, the engineering faculty has laboratories that are only laboratory by name, no functional equipment, shortage of manpower are part of the ailments bedeviling the campus. Lecturers offices are an eyesore, lecture halls appalling.
The Engineering lecturers are working under unprofessional atmosphere with shortage of Staff while engineering and laboratory tests are taken outside the campus for tests. The law faculty is no difference, it is even worse off. Visit the hostels and you will cry for your children. Yet with all this inadequacies, a government will go on and create more universities.
If I am elected, I will turn the three State Universities into citadels of learning. I will reduce the burden of school fees on the parents to the barest minimum while employing quality lecturers and other academic Staff. The laboratories, especially that of the engineering will be stocked with up to date equipment.
To achieve these noble intentions, we must merge. We cannot sacrifice the destinies of our children on the alter of political expediency. I will merge the existing Universities campuses into the three Senatorial districts of Delta State, that is, Delta State University Abraka will have all the faculties in Abraka, with the Engineering and Law established in Abraka or its environs all in Delta Delta Central.
For Delta North, Owa Alero/Agbor will merge with Asaba complete with all the faculties. For Delta South, the two Campuses In Oleh will merge with Delta State University of Science and Technology at Ozoro with one administration. All the three Universities will offer all professional courses, including medicines with their own teaching hospitals, engineering, Architecture, Phamacy, accountancy, sciences etc.
Similarly the three Polytechnics in the three Senatorial areas will be sustained and maintained. The former State Polytechnic at Ozoro in Isoko will be brought back to Isoko.
Urhobo Voice: As a foremost lecturer in one of the higher institution in the state, what are your plans to effectively transform the educational sector if elected as Delta governor come 2023 ?
You were reported to have said that Delta is a rich state, but has been unfortunate to have serial incompetent leaders. How do you substantiate this?
The statement is self explanatory. Is there any doubt about that? Tell me one competent leader Delta has produced? Let us tell ourselves the truth, which of the past governors of the PDP has done any legacy projects commensurate with volumes of funds the State has received. None. Warri and its environs is pathetic. Asaba is artificial flood zone. Vehicles become canoes when there is heavy rain. What they are known for is using Delta State money to fund Presidential candidates. Just personal aggrandizement. No people oriented policies or projects.
They are ardent at amassing and pilfering our resources to buy big cars and property at home and abroad. They are contented with ostentatiously licentious living, leaving the people in abject penury in the midsts of plenty. Is that not incompetency
Your take Akwa Ibom State with functional Airline, over six Aircraft and none in Delta State. How will you replicate such in Akwa Ibom State if elected as governor in 2023.?
You can get money to execute projects like the Airline business if you stop stealing the people’s resources. If the head or those close to the head are stealing you cannot stop others from stealing. If you can stop the stealing money will be available for mega legacy projects. If elected I will lead by example. Those around me will see my body language and will not loot. For example, at 62years I don’t want and will not buy house or houses in Lagos, Abuja or abroad. What for?
Iam contented with my one house in my town in Oyede. Iam contented with the bungalow I have at Oleh. If I travel to Abuja or Lagos or abroad for meeting, I will return immediately after the meeting to my country home. Yes I can go on holiday, say once in a year and come back home. I don’t even want to build a house in Asaba during my tenure. Look I always reflect on the brevity of life and will not stress myself amassing property that, after leaving government house, the stress of maintaining and thinking about them will lead to your early demise. I love a low profile life, not this fake lifestyles exhibited by politicians.
So anybody working with me or around me will not try stealing the people’s money. It is then possible to save enough from the blocked leakages to embark on Airline, shipping and other investments that would continue to yield dividends for the State.
Ahead of 2023 Governorship election, your message to the people of Delta State.
My message to Deltans is that they should vote for the individual, not the party, tribe or region. At the end, if you vote your brother who is wayward, you will still not see the dividends of the prosperity of your State. Iam encouraged that people are responding to our clarion call. Iam bringing my self to you all Deltans, as an individual who wants to make a difference in our lives, the lives of our children and our grandchildren. We should vote out our oppressors in 2023.
The people of Delta State should go and get their PVCs and vote right. Don’t vote PDP or APC. Don’t vote party. Don’t vote cleavages. Vote personality that can change our lives. Iam happy about the rush to get PVC. This shows we are ready to take our destiny in our hands.These large numbers don’t belong to any party. They just want change. Again vote that individual that can lead us out of this bondage.
It is very electric and encouragingly gratifying. They see us as a total departure from the corrupt production line of governorship candidates. One thing is obvious from the rush to get PVC. Deltans are tired of having the same political actors striding the political space including their godfathers and godsons. They want a change.
I am that change. Iam so confident that these myriads of Deltans thronging to get their PVCs are not party members. They are not APC or the disjointed and dying PDP members; they are the determined Deltans seeking for a healthy change that I represent. The large crowd at PVC registration centers are waiting for 2023 to vote in a good manager of their resources, to vote Dr Agbi in as the governor of Delta State.
Source vanguard news
