By FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI—A group, Crusade for Democracy and Good Governance, CDGG, yesterday, described as petty and mischievous, media reports credited to former Minister of State for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, that Delta State deputy governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, should quit politics in 2015.

Gbagi, in the report, had told the state deputy governor to drop his governorship ambition and quit politics on grounds that he is over 70 years old.
But the group, in a statement by its President, Mr. Gabriel Choba, said Gbagi’s comments were unbecoming of someone, who is aspiring to become the governor of the state.

The statement described the deputy governor as a man of impeccable character and a worthy son of Urhobo nation, whose contributions to the unity and development of Urhobo nation and Delta State at large are widely acknowledged by all.

“Utuama has not decided whether or not to contest for governorship in 2015, but even if he decides to contest, that is not enough for Gbagi to ask him to quit active politics since the gubernatorial election would not only be held in Ughelli South or the ward where the deputy governor and Gbagi are from. The election will be held in all 25 local government areas of the state.

“As a lawyer, one would have expected Gbagi to know that there is nowhere in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,  where it is stated that people who are in their late 60s and 70s cannot contest elective positions.

“Our elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, at whose instance Gbagi was appointed as Minister of State for Education, is an octogenarian and he is still making invaluable contributions to the growth, development and stability of democracy in the country. We all know that Nelson Mandela was well over 70 years when he became President of South Africa and before his death, he was the most celebrated African leader globally.”