A former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, who regained his freedom after an eight-year jail term in London, arrived Oghara, Delta State, his hometown last week.
Ibori was driven into a jubilant reception in Oghara town, the headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, in a long convoy, and was welcomed by high ranking politicians, who have been beneficiaries of the Ibori political dynasty and who believed that their political saviour has resurrected in the state.
Meanwhile, following Ibori’s release in December 2016, after service time for offences bordering on money laundring and embezzlement of state funds, one of the questions which had constantly called for answer from political analysts was the relevance of the former governor in the Nigerian political landscape, especially in his home state, Delta, as elections approach in two years.
But despite his prison antecedents, the former governor has indicated his plan to rejoin politics, now that he is back home. Ibori, who ruled the oil-rich Delta State between 1999 and 2007, asserted that he would not quit politics until his death, while speaking in London shortly after his release.
“What happens in African politics, you are in it until you die. I am a politician; I will always be a politician. I play the politics in my party and in my country for the good of my people,” he said.
Meanwhile, his supporters have also made it clear that he was never going to bow out from Nigerian politics, despite his prison ordeal in the UK. His former adviser, Ighoyota Amori, added that though the former governor might have had a bad time in the past, he will be back in politics for the good of his people across the state, as politics runs in his blood.
“Politics is in his blood. He will for now take a short rest, before deciding on the next line of action,” Amori told The Point. But in what appeared as a strong hint, The Point learnt that Ibori was eyeing some political role, as parties begin jostling for votes ahead of the 2019 election.
Amori described his former boss as a political “godfather and kingmaker,” adding, “No politician worth his calling can take Ibori’s endorsement for granted.
He will forever remain relevant in national affairs.” A former member of Delta State House of Assembly and incumbent chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Chief Ejaife Odebala, in an ecstatic reaction said, “The great leader is back and we are happy.
The politics and permutations of Delta State would change now, as he knows how to satisfy people and make them happy.”
Ibori is widely believed to have opened a new political chapter that would provide political direction to the Urhobos in particular and Delta State in general, as his teeming cult-like supporters hold the position that wherever he goes, the Urhobos and by extension, Deltans will follow him.
Former governorship aspirant in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke said, “I am overwhelmed with the arrival of the doyen of Nigeria politics and Delta State in particular, because he is one man who plays politics for the benefit of his people. And the best politicians in the world are those who plays politics of development.
“His return to Delta State is more of interest to Deltans as a whole, whether Peoples Democratic Party or All Progressives Congress.
I don’t ascribe Ibori’s arrival to the benefit of Urhobos alone, but the entire state as a whole. His arrival has proved that God is good.”
To a former secretary of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission and a onetime legal counsel to Ibori, Chief Andy Asavwota, “Ibori is the man on ground, either here or in limbo, he has affected all and taken everybody along without discrimination.
He is just like Jesus Christ, because he is a man who does not want anyone to suffer. “With his coming around, the politics in our polity here would change.
If not for the ganging up at the first instance, when he was looking up to the vice presidency, it would have been a different ball game entirely.”
A member of the state House of Assembly, Mr Alphonsus Ojo, said, “I feel very much elated and feel like break dancing, because he is not just a former governor, but our maximum political leader. His arrival would bring lots of changes in our psyche and social integration, which would be restored again to what it was, when he was around, before his ordeal.His arrival would bring unity to the politics of Delta State.”
Delta leaders watch with folded arms
Despite the fact that Ibori’s supporters trooped out in their hundreds to cheer him on arrival last week, some political leaders in the state are yet to comment on their position or reaction to his return and the tumultuous welcome.
But sources within the state have said Ibori’s arrival will be a big threat to some of them, who had taken advantage of his absence over time to buy names for themselves in the state politics.
It was also gathered that some of the leaders, who are yet to comment on the situation, having allegedly contributed to Ibori’s ordeal, would not rest until he also find a ‘befitting’ place in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s net.
Meanwhile, Chief Edwin Clark, when contacted by The Point on the development, said he would prefer to keep mum on the development.
“For now, I don’t have comment on anything. There is no comment at all for now.” Recalled that Clark was one of Ibori’s antagonists before his jail term in UK.
OKOWA’s emergence and THE Ibori link
Though Ibori may have been down due to his ordeal in the UK, analysts are of the opinion that the former governor will not find it difficult to be back on his feet, due to the fact that he commands a respectable place in the political landscape of Delta State.
With his coming around, the politics in our polity here would change. If not for the ganging up at the first instance, when he was looking up to the vice presidency, it would have been a different ball game entirely
On leaving office after eight years in 2007, he ensured that Emmanuel Uduaghan, his cousin, succeeded him. Uduaghan had previously been his health commissioner and Secretary to the State Government.
From jail, he was said to have singlehandedly hand-picked Ifeanyi Okowa to succeed Uduaghan in 2015 and a string of other local lawmakers.
While in prison, Ibori was said to be still remotely dictating the political tune in his native Delta State, where he was said to be instrumental to the emergence of over 80 per cent of elected and appointed political office holders in the state.
The current governor, Okowa, served as a commissioner in the Ibori administration, before he was elevated to the position of SSG in the Uduaghan administration.
As a result of this, the state government was said to have been instrumental to keeping Ibori’s investments alive while he was in prison.
A worker in Ibori’s Western Delta University in Oghara, who pleaded anonymity, said that the institution was getting “assistance” from the state government.
Ibori’s many sinS and EFCC’s plan to prosecute him
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has, however, vowed to arraign the former governor of Delta State, on a 170-count charge.
Prior to his conviction in the UK, the EFCC had dragged Ibori before an Asaba High Court on a 170-count charge, following allegations of diversion of N40 billion belonging to the state.
Ibori was also accused of trying to bribe former Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Nuhu Ribadu, with $15 million cash. An EFCC source confided in The Point that the commission would soon invite Ibori for questioning.
According to the source, “Ibori still has 170 charges pending against him. Also, the Appeal Court has given us the go-ahead to prosecute him and this ruling has not been upturned by the Supreme Court.
“As things stand, the EFCC has the right to arrest him at any time. Ibori, among other allegations, was accused of embezzling N40 billion which belonged to the state.
Also, a former EFCC chairman, Ribadu, alleged that the former governor attempted to bribe him with $15 million cash.”
Meanwhile speculations are rife that the former governor has perfected plans to defect to the ruling APC from the opposition PDP in what many perceived as a move to stall his prosecution by the EFCC, though efforts by The Point to confirm this proved abortive as most of his loyalists kept mum over the matter.
As the nation marches towards 2019, the question on the lips of political analysts is: will Ibori’s return be a blessing or a curse to Delta State and its politics, considering the cult-like followership the former governor enjoys in his home state and the Niger Delta region? Only time will tell.
