The social media has been awash on the £4.2million said to be returned to Nigeria by the government of the United Kingdom. Report says the money was allegedly looted out of Nigeria by former governor of Delta state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori. Ibori served seven year jail term for the funds.
He was released from UK prison on 21 December 2016. His arrival was received with ovation by the people of Delta state. His residence in Oghara, Ethiope west, Delta state was a beehive of activities as all people of Delta flocked to Oghara to have a glimpse of the former governor.
But one thing is certain the former governor was loved by the people of the state. Despite the allegation of theft and graft against him, Ibori is the only best governor who has governed the state since the creation of Delta in 1993. His footprint is in all parts of the state. No government since he left office and even before him has made any significant impact in the lives of the people of Delta as Chief James Onanefe Ibori.
He transformed the state, created bridges and built schools and roads which are still sustainable till date. The roads built by the governors who succeeded him cannot compete with his roads. His roads and bridges are stronger and better than the present ones. He gave jobs to lots of Deltans.
Most of the politicians of today in Delta were made by him. This is why the people of Delta adore him. While he was in UK prison, the creme de la crème of Delta politicians were traveling to UK to pay him homage and seek his political blessings. While he was in UK prison, he was the defacto governor because he made certain decisions which the sitting governor then must accept.
This is why the power brokers in Delta are not keen on accepting the allegation of graft against the former governor, though they are aware. People outside the state could lay any accusation against Ibori but power brokers in the state will rather prefer to remain mute on any matter of graft against the former governor. All the power brokers in the state were all made by him.
So, the silence of Delta state government over the recovered loot is understandable. It is not disputable that Delta state government owns the money as it was not taken from the account of the federal government but from the treasury of the state government. But the state government is not willing to make statement on the matter. After all, £4.2million pound is just about N2.2billion. It cannot handle one month wage bill of the public and civil servants in the state.
It is not that the authorities of Delta state government are not aware of the money but going by his good works while in office and the respect accorded him, officials of the state government will rather prefer to remain mute than making comments on the planned return of £4.2m. And since the Delta state government is not laying claim to the money, the federal government cannot keep mute also. This is why the money must now go to the account of the federal government of Nigeria, except there is a decision otherwise.
