The return of former Governor James Ibori has initiated fresh re-alignments in Delta State’s political scene, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu
WHEN it was first confirmed last year that former Governor James Oefe Ibori of Delta State would be released from the London prison in December, members of his political family in the state were amongst the most excited Nigerians over the development. Their enthusiasm peaked when they learnt that their political leader would return home early February, 2017.
As predicted, Ibori returned to Nigeria last week and immediately went to his hometown, Oghara, in Ethiope Local Government Area, where he was given a hero’s welcome.
Days before his return, the grand preparations in Delta State, especially in Oghara and environs, gave away the plans of his family, political associates and close disciples to treat him to a lavish carnival, notwithstanding criticisms from greater percentage of Nigerians appalled by the decision of his political followers and beneficiaries to celebrate him soon after his release from prison for criminal offences.
The Nation observed that when the former governor got to Oghara in a convoy of over 10 choice vehicles, including armoured automobiles, the black tinted Lexus SUV he rode in, which pulled up in front of his house at about 3.20pm was cordoned by security officials desperate to stop the surging crowd. As a result, he could not alight until about 3.50pm. An eyewitness and one of his former private aides described the moment as “electrifying and a confirmation of the fact that Ibori’s political dynasty is still real and alive.” Such was the enthusiasm, February 4, 2017!
But barely a week after Ibori’s return home, the exhilaration of his associates seems to have been replaced with worry and confusion over whom to show their loyalty as the prime leader of the political family in the state. This confusion, according to The Nation investigation, is because in Ibori’s absence, while serving his 13 years jail term in London, his former aide and cousin, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, led the family before the current governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, another Ibori’s former aide, emerged on the scene. During this period, so much had happened in the relationship of these his influential former aides to divide and decimate the once united and powerful political family. Based on what was gathered, the frosty relationship between Uduaghan and Okowa during and after the last governorship election in the state, did not only threaten the very existence of the so-called Ibori political family while he was away, it also created new loyalties that may prove rather tricky for Ibori to deal with today.
New realities
Notwithstanding the encomiums lavished on the former governor of Delta State as a smart politician, insiders confided that resolving the current loyalty dilemma in the state may not be as easy as many of Ibori’s admirers may make it sound. This is because so much has changed in Delta State’s political theatre since 2010 when Ibori left Nigeria, allegedly through the Delta creeks, following attempts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest him over some criminal charges. Although the welcome reception organised by his former aides and associates suggest the survival of his political relevance, insiders stated except he handles “the face-off between Uduaghan and Okowa maturely, he may never be able to hold the political family in his palms again.”
All through his tenure as the oil-rich Delta State Governor, Ibori, who served as a PDP governor, enjoyed federal support, an advantage he maximized to emerge as one of the most influential governors of his time. Today, oil is gradually losing its prime position as a source of revenue and PDP, his political party, has lost power at the centre. These suggest that the political terrain has become much more complicated.
Besides, the current Governor of Delta State, Okowa, who was one of Ibori’s trusted aides reportedly had a difficult time with his predecessor, Uduaghan, Ibori’s cousin and former aide. The alleged face-off, according to insiders, remains unresolved since Okowa’s emergence notwithstanding denials.
To confirm the current complications, as soon as Ibori returned to his country home, Oghara, there was report at Asaba Government House that he had concluded plans to join the APC as a way of gaining soft landing from the Federal Government. A source stated this report created anxiety in the cabinet of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as many of the top officials of the state government still have strong feeling of allegiance to the former governor.
They are wondering how it will play out if Ibori joins APC, when the state, under his ally, is still a PDP state? Also, they are wondering what they would do if the newly emerging interests degenerate to the extent that the politicians would be required to choose between Okowa-led PDP State Government and an APC state chapter under James Ibori?
Given his pragmatic nature, there is no doubt in the minds of his supporters and associates that the prison experience notwithstanding, Ibori will want to call the shots as the godfather of Delta State politics at the expense of the incumbent governor, especially because the governor happened to be his ex-aide and strong member of his political dynasty.
An earlier report stated this fear was aggravated when thousands of political and business associates, including past political appointees between 1999 and 2007 and during former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s tenure, who have been pushed out of patronage, joined forces with other supporters to welcome the former governor home.
One of Ibori’s former aides in the state, who had been pushed out of power while their leader was away, told The Nation during the week that with Ibori’s return, things must change in Delta. As stated by him, “you do not need to have deep insight into the workings of government in Delta State to see that all is not well with the old Ibori political dynasty. Is it not instructive that on that Saturday, when he returned home, only a few top officials of the current Okowa-led State Government, like the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hon. Festus Ovie Agas and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, were in Oghara to welcome the leader?
Unlike such sentiments expressed by the former aide, earlier reports suggested that all the members of the political family worked together over the reception of the former governor.
It was reported that just before his release, his close friends and supporters made attempts “to resuscitate his businesses and stalled projects across the country to reintegrate him into the system”.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in particular was stated to “be in constant touch with Ibori through intermediaries regularly sent to the UK.
One of such earlier reports, quoting a close source to the government, said “Okowa’s emissaries to Ibori included a former chairman of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an influential member of the State Transition Committee and an official of the state organ which manages 13% revenue accruing to oil communities.”
Also, observers pointed out that in spite of their alleged political differences, Okowa and former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan were amongst the first visitors to Oghara to welcome Ibori on the day of his return. In fact, they visited him at the same time, a development that has led to a lot of speculations.
It is on record that on that day, Uduaghan arrived the Ibori villa in Oghara at about 3:30pm and was joined by Governor Okowa at about 4:15pm.
Crisis in the family
Political analysts have traced the current tension in the Ibori political dynasty to the disagreement between Uduaghan and Okowa during the PDP primaries that led to last April’s governorship election in Delta State, where Okowa emerged governor. Although Okowa was supported by other influential members like Senator James Manager, the then outgoing governor’s strategists allegedly had in mind another candidate, Olorogun David Edevbie, the consensus candidate of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). But at the primary election, Okowa polled 406 votes to beat Edevbie (with 299 votes) to a second position. Until today, PDP insiders claimed that Ibori, who was then in faraway London prison, was instrumental to the result of that primary election and Okowa’s final victory in the governorship election.
This claim was strengthened by the fact that Okowa actually gave Ibori’s close allies key positions in his State Executive Council.
Asked in a recent interview why Ibori has so much confidence and trust in him, Okowa had said: “I think he found in me, somebody that is ready to work very hard at every point in time. Everything I want to do, without trying to praise myself, I think I am always very committed to it, right from my youth. I know I was very committed in the campaigns through the GDM. When we came to the PDP, I was very committed.
“However, one thing too, he also saw in me somebody who will fight injustice at every point in time.
“Therefore, he (Ibori) saw in me someone with a very strong character and when we came into government, this issue I was talking about, being detribalised and looking at Delta State holistically, I think he saw all those traits in me because people use to talk and preferences of the people was obviously made in most occasions.
“So, I think that warmed us up because at every point in time, I always offered him the truth and told him what I thought was right and when things went wrong, others may speak politically, but I will speak based on the fact that what is right will always be right and what is wrong will always be wrong. I think that is what endeared me to him.”
Disagreement over Ibori’s new role
But given the open display of solidarity by Ibori’s supporters and the report that he would soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, Okowa, as a PDP governor, could not help advising his former boss to leave politics for now.
Reacting to the speculation, Okowa stated Ibori should be more concerned with his family now that he has returned from prison rather than politics.
He was quoted in the media as saying: “I am not aware of Ibori’s planned defection to the APC.
“Yes, he is back with us but I think what he should be concerned about is how to reunite with his family and not politics.”
But it seems certain that Ibori is back, not to stay at the background with his family, but to play politics as usual. It would be recalled that while still in London, Ibori confirmed his interest to remain in active politics. “I am returning back to Nigeria for politics,” the former governor was quoted as telling Reuters, adding, “What happens in African politics is that you are in it until you die.”
So, Ibori is back to take back his position as the leader of the political dynasty he formed and nurtured in Delta State, notwithstanding the apprehensions of some of his political sons and associate. What will become of this ambition, given the current political terrain and how it will impact on the state’s polity, remains to be seen?
The Nation