By Austin Ogwuda
GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has challenged the Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme to prove his innocence that he was not dismissed from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) over alleged forgery offence.
He stated this while reacting to Mr. Fidelis Egugbo defence to the effect that Onyeme was not dismissed but disengaged from that employment on a clean slate.
Gbagi in a press statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Kenneth Orusi which was made a available to The Town Hall Media also faulted Egugbo as not a competent authority to dismiss such weighty allegations with a wave of hand.
The statement reads in part, “the report with the headline: “Delta Guber: Egugbo Punctures Lies Of Gbagi”, is very laughable, as it did not come to us by surprise.
“But what is amusing is that, Egugbo, who ordinarily is not an authority could claim to dismiss what lawyers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Onyeme and Sheriff Oborevwori who are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents, fruitlessly tried to stop but failed woefully.
“Documents and other admissible evidence have been tendered and admitted at the tribunal by the three-man Justices, headed by Justice H.C Ahuchaogu.
“That Gbagi was the Minister of State for Education while Onyeme served as Bursar to NOUN at a point in his life as a civil servant.
“Gbagi, a renowned Criminologist, has records of integrity, impeccable character and unbeatable achievements with a midas touch, would not stoop so low to the likes of Onyeme, to cause disaffection and incite Deltans against anybody as the administration of Sheriff Oborevwori, was already built on faulty foundation of multiple forgeries which is before the tribunal.
“It should be noted that at the time Gbagi chaired the Panel of Enquiry, which dismissed Onyeme, Gbagi, has no plans of contesting the governorship election in the State at a time like this.
“Gbagi had told the tribunal that the election that produced Oborevwori and Onyeme was marred with irregularities, electoral malpractices and non-compliance to the electoral Act 202, for which he has approached the tribunal for justice, a move that falls within his fundamental rights.
“It is again, laughable that a man dismissed from the services of NOUN, for forgery, could be described to have “unblemished record”, it is laughable indeed.
“To put the records straight, within the nine years, 2006 and 2015, Onyeme, worked at NOUN, he was under Gbagi, at the time he was Minister of State for Education which made it possible for the Panel he chaired to investigate and found Onyeme, wanting of forgery which led to his dismissal.
“Egugbo’s writeup, shows that he didn’t do any fact-check to truly know the antecedents of the largest private investor in the State.
“Egugbo, a journalist who worked under the State owned print media, The Pointer and was subsequently appointed Special Adviser, was expected to have carried out a thorough investigation on the unbroken records of Gbagi but hurriedly went to press with wishy-washy report.
“At this juncture, may I bring my friend and colleague to speed, it is on record that during his time as education minister, Gbagi created 13 Universities, including Federal University of Lafia and Federal University of Petroleum (FUPRE) here in Delta State.
“Others include but not limited to eight Federal Government Colleges,16 Colleges of Education and 14 Polytechnic.
“Gbagi rebuilt and equipped the ICT center in Urhobo College, donated N10 million to Government College, Ughelli and as minister of state for Education, rebuilt Federal Government College, Warri.
“Though, these schools are not in Olorogun Gbagi’s schedule, he showed commitment aimed at ensuring that they exist and function.
“He fought against the relocation of PTI from Warri to Kaduna State.
“Recall that there is a gentle minister for Petroleum called Rilwanu Lukman, said the College that was related to petroleum should be relocated
“Thirty-two days after Gbagi became a minister, he founded FUPRE, Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Ugbomro.
“Obasanjo gave them N1 billion to them to go and setup a College because they have created the state but there were no document. That was why Rilwanu Lukman was making that statement to say they should relocate the school.
“But thank God, 32 days later Gbagi took a memo to council, where he got approval for the Petroleum University to be established.
“Speaking on how memos are tagged at the Federal Executive Council, Gbagi said: “If you check the record that created that university, you will not see Kenneth Gbagi, as the owner or person who founded the University including the other 12. In memo to council, you do not put your full names but what you will see there is KOG”, he explained.
“These records since he left office as Minister of State for Education, no minister appointed into the ministry have broken Gbagi’s records till date.
“It would be recall that Gbagi had told the tribunal that Onyeme, was dismissed after a Panel of Enquiry set up by him found Onyeme wanting of ‘forgery’.
“Gbagi, a sole witness and Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the March 18th governorship election in the State told the tribunal during cross examination.
“Onyeme, is the 4th Respondent in Gbagi’s petition before the three-man Justices presided over by Justice H C. Ahuchaogu at the loo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the State capital.
“Gbagi, a renowned Criminologist, who was cross examined by the counsels to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents, told the tribunal that as a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he presided over the Panel that dismissed Onyeme”, the statement added.
Egugbo had earlier while defending Onyeme said,
“I am confident that no Deltan will take the spurious, unfounded allegation of Mr Kenneth Gbagi serious, because, we are all aware about his antecedents. It is unfortunate that instead of accepting defeat as expected of a true democrat, he is in the tribunal trying to cause disaffection among the people.
“The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, has an unblemished record as a civil servant before he was called upon to take political appointment.
“Without going back memory lane to list places that Sir Onyeme has excellently rendered service to humanity, we are all aware that as at 2015, Mr Gbagi was not the Minister of State and it was the year, 2015 that Sir Onyeme, took leave of absence from the NOUN to enable him effectively take charge of the affairs of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service, DSIR, as its Executive Chairman.
“The immediate past Governor of Delta State, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, believes in excellence and his administration was able to woo Sir Onyeme, a tax expert from the NOUN to head the DSIRS.
”As the Deputy Governor of Delta State, members of the National Open University of Nigeria Alumni Association, NOUNAA, Delta State Chapter, few days ago, paid a congratulatory visit on Sir Onyeme at his office at Government House, Asaba.. That visit clearly attest to how the Deputy Governor is valued at the NOUN.
“Following his emergence as the running mate to Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori in 2022, it became clear, that his career at the NOUN had ended and as a man who believes in due process, Sir Onyeme who resigned his appointment at DSIR, also, resigned as the Bursar of the NOUN.
“His resignation put to an end, a robust nine years as Bursar of NOUN, a position that he put his expertise to use as he was never queried nor faced any panel whatsoever within the period. It was not surprising as Gbagi, was also, the only witness in his case before the tribunal.
“It is unfortunate that what Gbagi went to the tribunal with was a ‘trophy,’ that he personally raised criminal issues against the Deputy Governor, set up a panel which he was the Chairman, tried him, found him guilty and dismissed him, without having in mind that Nigerians are aware that he left office as a Minister for State years before Sir Onyeme voluntarily retired from NOUN.