Political Opponents Behind Molestation Allegation – Gbagi

Former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi, on Saturday, accused political opponents as behind the allegation of molestation of workers of Signatious Hotel in Effurun, Delta State.

Gbagi, who addressed a news conference in his home town, Oginibu, in Ughelli South local government, said the purveyors of the molestation allegation are being sponsored by “those threatened by his political bid, in an attempt to smear his soaring popularity and high flying reputation in Delta State”.

He said, “The recent molestation allegations against me are the handiwork of my political foes who are opposed to my governorship ambition in 2023.”

The ex-minister welcomed a comprehensive investigation into the allegation by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and demanded a probe of key political actors belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress in the State.

He also dismissed as fake news, reports alleging that the Inspector General of Police had deployed 50 men to ensure his arrest.

He said he was never arrested by the Police as alleged by his political foes.

The former minister, therefore, urged the relevant security agencies to unravel those behind the blackmail attempt to malign his personality.

“They went further to spin more lies that the Inspector General of Police deployed 50 men to ensure my arrest.

“It just tells how desperate and shameless they are to do anything and everything to malign my character so as to declare me unfit to run for the governorship election.

“All they are hell bent on doing is stirring the people’s hate and distrust for me through their merchants on facebook and Twitter.

“Unfortunately, the more they spin lies, the more the people would come to know them for who they are. They are nothing but envious detractors with no single honour or integrity to their names.

“You will recall how several years ago, similar persons tried to blackmail me claiming I had lions in my house, preventing innocent children from attending school and ordinary Deltans from going to work. What became of those lies?” Gbagi said.

A statement also issued by the Media Assistant to the former minister, Sylvester Omonigho, denied reports of his arrest by the Police.

Omonigho said Gbagi was not under any Police’s detention.

The spokesman stated, “The attention of the Gbagi Media Office has been drawn to fake news circulating across various social media platforms on the purported arrest of Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi by the police.

“We wish to categorically state that the Former Minister of State for Education is not under detention by the Police as claimed by the peddlers of such fake news.

“The spurious claims of molestation and blackmail against Gbagi, sadly brings to the fore the dangers associated with Hate Speech and the use of social media platforms by mischievous elements for the realization of devious ends.”