LAGOS JANUARY 26TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Former Minister of State of Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi has come under attack over statement credited to him for advising Delta State Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama SAN to drop his gubernatorial ambition on the ground of old age.
It would be recalled that Kenneth Gbagi who had declared his intention to context for Delta State Governorship election in 2015 addressed a press conference at Warri, Delta State recently in which he advised the present Deputy Governor of Delta State Amos Utuama to drop his governorship ambition based on his old age.
Rebuking the former Minister on his remark on the person of the Deputy Governor of Delta State after arising from their Council meeting, group under the aegis of Urhobo Collective Agenda of Nigeria (UCAN) in a statement titled, “The Urhobo Nation and Kenneth Gbagi…The Unacceptable and Unconstitutional Dance of an Aspirant”, signed by its Chairman Ighogbado Emuesiri Esq, Secretary-General, Enaowho Dominic and Public Relations Officer, Etaneri Mudiaga argued that Gbagi’s advise to Utuama to drop his gubernatorial ambition on the ground of age is unsolicited, rude, unacceptable and unconstitutional.
Describing Gbagi’s statement as premature which revealed him as an unintelligent aspirant that lacks depth and content in the conduct of human affairs, the group argued that Gbagi in the course of the press interview did not at any point state what he plans to do for the people of Delta State if he becomes the Governor of the state, adding that rather he concentrated on making utterances whose sole aim is to pull down Utuama.
The group maintained that it is not in the character of an average Urhobo man or woman to use rude, uncouth and abusive language to address issues relating to their Seniors and benefactors, adding that it is also not within the ethics of the Bar.
“We have decided to educate Kenneth Gbagi that his ill motivated advise is totally unacceptable and not in the character of a true Urhobo son or daughter to show this level of disrespect to a senior under the pretence of “advising him”. This we believe is all in a bid to pull down Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN our Deputy Governor and the number one politically elected office holder from Urhobo Nation in Delta State.
“We are concerned and worried that Kenneth Gbagi whom we believe has a copy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, can give such an unsolicited advice to his former lecturer without citing the section where it is stated that a person above 60 cannot contest for the Governor of a State or President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We hereby state categorically that Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN, the Deputy Governor of Delta State and any person above the age of 35 as provided under S. 177(B) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is eminently qualified and equipped to run for any office including the office of Governor of Delta State,” the group disclosed.
The group vowed that they are prepared to support Utuama or any other Urhobo son or daughter who decided to run for the Governorship of Delta State than to support Gbagi who have chosen to dance naked in public in the name of seeking political office.
They noted that as a group, they are not prepared to shy away from taking a stand against people like Gbagi who because of their personal ambitions, fail to be humble and show respect to their Urhobo Elder Statesmen and women or the Government of Delta State and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The group maintained that they strongly condemned the shameful action by Gbagi for giving such an ill conceived advise to a very prominent Urhobo son whose unblemished, record in the service of the Urhobo Nation and Delta State is worth of very high commendation, just as they pointed out that Gbagi must also be made to realize that the office of the Governor and Deputy Governor of any state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria should not be brought to ridicule by any one especially those who plan to occupy it.
“Consequently, we are through this medium calling on all those who wish to seek any political office in Delta State and in the Nation, to be cautious and humble with their language in the pursuit of same because as our elders say “the word of mouth is like an egg” if it falls and breaks, it cannot be put together again.
As Nigerians and Deltans, we expect the former minister of State to project a high standard of decorum and a temperament that is not directed by negative human emotions or impulses. We expect that verbal outbursts that can otherwise be classified as “private discussions” should not be subjected to unnecessary cheap press conferences. We expect that ex-ministers including ministers of State in or out of office should conduct themselves with some level of dignity and not desecrate their past offices to the extent that people are asking how the individual managed to become a minister of state in the first place,” the group advised.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT:

THE URHOBO NATION AND KENNETH GBAGI… THE UNACCEPTABLE AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL DANCE OF AN ASPIRANT
The Council of the Urhobo Collective Agenda of Nigeria (UCAN) met recently, and the issue of the unsolicited, rude, unacceptable and unconstitutional advise of Kenneth Gbagi to His Excellency Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN, that he should drop his gubernatorial ambition on the grounds of age was discussed extensively wherefore the Urhobo Political Congress decided to state as follows:-
1. That the press conference called by Kenneth Gbagi in which he called on H.E. Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN to drop his gubernatorial ambition was premature and reveals Kenneth Gbagi as an unintelligent aspirant that lacks depth, and content in the conduct of Human Affairs, as this is like an attempt by a tenant to serve his landlord quit notice.
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2. That the press interview of Kenneth Gbagi as an aspirant to the Governorship seat of the Government of Delta State did not at any point state what he plans to do for Deltans if he becomes the Governor. He concentrated on what he is doing to pull down Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN, the Deputy Governor of Delta State which unfortunately revealed his plan to also commit political suicide.

3. That we also decided to educate Kenneth Gbagi that his ill motivated advise is totally unacceptable and not in the character of a true Urhobo son or daughter to show this level of disrespect to a senior under the pretence of “advising him”. This we believe is all in a bid to pull down Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN our Deputy Governor and the number one politically elected office holder from Urhobo Nation in Delta State.

4. That we are concerned and worried that Kenneth Gbagi whom we believe has a copy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, can give such an unsolicited advice to his former lecturer without citing the section where it is stated that a person above 60 cannot contest for the Governor of a State or President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
5. That we hereby state categorically that Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN, the Deputy Governor of Delta State and any person above the age of 35 as provided under S. 177(B) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is eminently qualified and equipped to run for any office including the office of Governor of Delta State. The UCAN shall be prepared to support Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN or any other Urhobo son or daughter who decides to run for the Governorship of Delta State, than support a Kenneth Gbagi who have chosen to dance naked in public in the name of seeking political office.

6. That as a group, we are NOT prepared to shy away from taking a stand against people like Kenneth Gbagi who because of their personal ambitions, fail to be humble and show respect to our Urhobo Elder Statesmen and women or the Government of Delta State, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

7. That it is not in the character of the average Urhobo man or woman to use rude, uncouth, and abusive language to address issues relating to our Seniors and benefactors. It is also not within the ethnics of the Bar. Our elders say that it is advisable for a Wiseman not to chase a madman that steals his clothes from the bank of the river while he is having his bath in the river, less the Wiseman be also mistaken for a madman. We therefore appeal to Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN to ignore “the call” of Kenneth Gbagi and remain focused in his duties as Deputy Governor of Delta State which for now the assignment is given to him by the Urhobo people and Deltans.

8. That we STRONGLY CONDEMN this shameful action by Kenneth Gbagi for giving such an ill conceived advise, to a very prominent Urhobo son whose unblemished, record in the service of the Urhobo Nation and Delta State is worth of very high commendation. Kenneth Gbagi must also be made to realize that the office of the Governor, and Deputy Governor of any state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria should not be brought to ridicule by any one especially those who plan to occupy it.

9. That we, through this medium call on all those who wish to seek any political office in Delta State and in the Nation, to be cautious and humble with their language in the pursuit of same because as our elders say “the word of mouth is like an egg” if it falls and breaks, it cannot be put together again. We plead with Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama SAN to see Kenneth Gbagi’s unsolicited advice as an unprovoked emotional outburst of the untamed and frustrated Kenneth Gbagi emanating from his usual uncoordinated thought process, which naturally presents itself in form of diarrhea of his mouth.

10. That as Nigerians and Deltans, we expect a former minister of State to project a high standard of decorum, and a temperament that is not directed by negative human emotions or impulses. We expect that verbal outbursts that can otherwise be classified as “private discussions” should not be subjected to unnecessary cheap press conferences. We expect that ex ministers including ministers of State in or out of office to conduct themselves with some level of dignity and not desecrate their past officers to the extent that people are asking how the individual (in this case Kenneth Gbagi) managed to become a minister of state in the first place. Those who appointed you must be regretting their action as you have devalued the judgment and put to question their well intentioned action.

11. That your action reminds us of the story of a king who against tradition decided to dress one of his slaves in Agbada and included him, as a chief in his entourage to visit other prominent king in another kingdom. At night the slave washed his only “green pant” and left it to dry on the host king’s dining table. The host king household were shocked to see the “green pant” on the kings dining table. Word went round the palace that there was a slave in the entourage of the visiting king. They caught him when he came for his “green pant”. This made everybody to know that he was a slave and not a chief. The visiting king had to apologise to his host. Kenneth Gbagi is therefore advised not to wash his dirty “linens” in public.

12. That at the risk of reminding Kenneth Gbagi of his roots, and background we strongly advise him to APOLOGISE to the Deputy Governor especially to the political segment of the Urhobo Nation and to stop urinating into the well from which he intends to fetch water from, to drink now or in the future.

Signed:
For Urhobo Collective Agenda of Nigeria (UCAN)

Etaneri Mudiaga
Public Relations Officer

Enaowho Dominic
General Secretary

Ighogbado Emuesiri
Chairman