Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic party (SDP) in the March 18th elections, Mr. Kenneth Gbagi, has said Delta state as Nigeria’s second largest oil producing state with massive wealth to spend, is far from where it ought to be at 32.
Gbagi said he decided to share his honest, but very modest, thoughts about Delta at 32.
The former Education Minister said Delta at 32 years of existence has gone backwards, adding that there was nothing to celebrate.
While speaking through his chief press secretary, Kenneth Orusi, he expressed shock that with the enormous resources at the disposal of the state, there was nothing to show for it.
He said: “Deltans, it is with mixed feelings that I bring greetings of love, having by influx of time attained 32 years since creation.
“It is no joke that we all had a child that is 32-years-old but unfortunately while Deltans as a people have nothing to celebrate, the structure of Delta state has remained largely the same as left for us by our Colonial Masters.
“While tonnes of money had come, passing in the name of Delta state, it does not reflect on the ground, giving all we have received as a people. Delta is the biggest slum in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that what is before us today makes a laughable stock in the comity of states in Nigeria, and elsewhere in the globe.
“Nothing will happen unless we collectively as a people decide even though it is late, but decide to take our common patrimony, our destiny as a people, given the fact that there is no other state for us.
“It is not one that we want to play cosmetic lip service to. The speed in which we are running into self-extinction calls for serious concern.
“I have laid myself, my life and given the fact that God has been extremely kind to me to liberate us as a people. Search yourself, search your environment, Delta was one of the first four provinces in Nigeria, with all the endowment. Delta is the biggest slum in Nigeria.
“While I mourn this day as Delta attain 32 years of nothing to show, it is about time fellow Deltans should join hands with me in my quest to liberate this state from deceit, from theft, from lack of development and unproductiveness.”
