How Ex-Gov. IBORI Still Controls DELTA Politics 19Yrs After Leaving Office

 Say what you like, there aren’t many of him around still calling the shots within Nigeria’s Political circles. After 19 years when he last assumed the state’s number one Political position, ex Delta State governor, James Onanefe Ibori’s influence has not waned. Instead, his influence has continued to grow within Political circles ,its leaders and offshoots. The ex governor is not your typical godfather and there are few people, if any ,like him in the country’s Political space. Ask anyone within Delta politics today and they’ll readily tell you that without Ibori, no one gets any concrete  Political consideration.

Ibori, many say, is what Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is to Lagos Politics. Ibori is said to wield so much power that  Political leaders within Delta seek his consent before major decisions are taken including appointments of people into sensitive positions. Although rarely seen in public hobnobbing with Politicians, he maintains a dominance never before experienced in the history of the state. His Oghara residence is a mecca of sort for politicians seeking one favour or the other. The story is that there is no one today in Delta Politics who has not benefited one way or the other from the former governor. But how did Ibori build this formidable Political structure to emerge  the most influential ,if not the  biggest  Political figure from the state?

Those who know a thing or two about Delta Politics say it was deliberate and and a well calculated move by the Oghara born 66 year old politician. At the return of democracy in 1999, Ibori, who was a member of the then  NRC and GDM, a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state brought in his proteges across different ethnic lines within Delta.They include among others, his cousin, former governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, who took over the mantle from him and the immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.Together with many Loyalists, the followership transformed into a political movement. Till date,the movement is said to pull the strings of politics while being rooted firmly in every  ward in the state.

Ibori created a political structure that has dictated political succession in Delta State since 1999. Uduaghan and Okowa, Commissioners, Special Advisers and a majority of Delta State House of Assembly members are direct products of his political machinery.

Although a founding member of the PDP in Delta, Ibori has maintained a strategic and close relationship with President Bola Tinubu and aligned himself with key All Progressives Congress (APC) actors in the state and Abuja .The recent defection of Governor, Oborevwori and other Political figures in the state was said to have gotten his nod. His   influence cuts across party lines, allowing him to be a factor in both PDP and APC, particularly in the 2023 and upcoming 2027 elections.

Often referred to as the Odidigborigbo of Africa, Ibori’s ability to sway key decisions keeps his influence relevant, with many stakeholders frequently consulting him on crucial decisions.

His daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, is a notable politician, having won a Federal Constituency ticket in 2023. Her actions, such as shifting from PDP to APC, are often interpreted as a reflection of Ibori’s strategic maneuvering while underscoring his closeness to President Tinubu and the APC. Many in Delta, particularly in the Urhobo nation, perceive his administration as having brought massive development, viewing him as a hero who was persecuted during  President Jonathan era. Despite that, he has maintained his grassroots popularity.

Just like any other formidable political figure, his influence was shaken and the only time he lost a battle was during the 2023 governorship election in Delta where his preferred candidate differed from the successful candidate, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who was backed by former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa against former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege who enjoyed Ibori’s support. Despite the 2023 feud  and  having fallen out with Okowa, Ibori is still regarded as the godfather and the force to reckon with as the 2027 general elections beckon. Many stakeholders, including those in the APC, acknowledge that Ibori will play a crucial role in who gets what.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION,

BIRTH:

Born to Chief Ukavbe Ibori and Mrs. Comfort Oji Ibori in Otefe-Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Education: Attended Baptist High School (now Oghareki Grammar School) and later the University of Benin, where he earned a B.Sc. in Economics and Statistics.

POLITICAL CAREER:

Joined the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1990 and later the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) during the Abacha transition program.

GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE:

As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was elected governor in 1999 and re-elected in 2003, serving until 2007. Achievements: His administration is credited with promoting free education, and initiating development projects in riverine communities.

Controversy and Conviction In London: Prior to his governorship, Ibori had convictions in the UK for financial dishonesty in the early 1990s.

Corruption Charges: Post-governorhip, he faced charges in Nigeria and fled to Dubai, where he was arrested in 2010 and extradited to the UK.

In 2012, he pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy in a London court and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

POST-PRISON LIFE:

After serving only 3 years of his sentence, Ibori returned to Nigeria, where he continues to hold significant political influence within the PDP and  the ruling APC family in Delta State.

–Wole Alakija