A student group, the League of African Development Students (LEADS), has given its backing to the former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, for his governorship aspiration. In its opinion, he is the best choice of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship elections in Delta State.
The group stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a presentation of an award to honour Gbagi as “Africa’s Patriotic Statesman.”
Head of Advocacy and Leader of the LEADS delegation, Gabriel Morgan, said LEADS is an umbrella body for all democratic Students Unions in Africa which was established in 1985 at the Bayero University, Kano.
He stated that LEADS sensitises members on development best practices who are domiciled in over 25 African countries.
Morgan extolled the leadership qualities of Olorogun Gbagi, describing him as “an erudite and proven authority in Africa’s corporate investments and leadership space.”
“He is a leader with an overwhelming passion for enhancement of a better society even up to the grassroots, an outstanding and charismatic leader, a philanthropist and an ardent adherent of corporate social investments policy, an advocate of local content, cerebral commenter and erudite Resource Person on topical issues of national and global importance in Governance, and an outstanding patriot per excellence.
“Chief Kenneth Gbagi will be indisputably the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) best foot forward comes 2023, and of course the very best Governor Delta is soon to get,” he said.
Morgan further lauded the former minister for his exemplary antecedence and remarkable career in Nigeria’s public and private sectors, as well as pioneering the cause of nation building and Africa’s development.
The Regional Representative and Head of Mission, Michael Addotey, who also eulogised Gbagi, said the award is “our modest recognition of your (Gbagi’s) immense contributions to Africa’s Quest for Development via Public Service, Investments, Employment creation, and philanthropy, among others.”
Responding on the group’s award, Gbagi charged them on the need for youths to actively participate in governance.
“While thanking you for finding me worthy of being honored, may I use this opportunity to call on youths in Nigeria and Africa to become involve in issues of governance.
“Without participating actively, there is no way the younger generation would be guaranteed the dividends of democracy from good representation and good governance,” he said.
Members of the LEADS delegation include: Gabriel Morgan, Head of Advocacy; Thierry Kossa Kobehi (Regional Representative (Francophone); Oghenekome Ishaka, Director of Communications; Daniel Njoku, Director of Finance; Amos Abigail Tayabu, Director of Gender; Ezra Simon Ishaku, Acting Director of Publicity, and Osisiogu Osikenyi, Secretary-General.