Ibori Set For 2003
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During James Ibori's end of year chat with the press in Asaba, on 22 December last year, a ubiquitous reporter had drawn the attention of the governor to a mounting controversial development in Delta State. The observation was that, a couple of organisations in the name of the governor had been parading Delta's political terrain; and the spread was gathering momentum by the day.
If he was uncomfortable with the observation, the governor did not show it. It was an unruffled Ibori, who calmly pointed out that aside the fact that these associations with overt or covert declaration of support for the continuity of the Ibori's "legacy," do not have inimical ethnic background. He assured, that the group's activities would be under close watch from Asaba.
Not long after Ibori's declaration, the governor's think-tank was struck by the compelling need to strategically overhaul the governor's political machinery on the ground. The major preoccupation, it was gathered was to inject more majority and indeed, advanced virility into the activities of the Concerned Deltans for Ibori, one of such organisations in his name.
The goal was to lay an hyperactive and expansive political dragnet, with year 2003 gubernatorial election in mind.
On 20 January 2001, the conference centre of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) , Effurun, became host to a distinguished array of invited personalities from across Delta State, on the auspices of the Ibori Vanguard. The roll call of prominent Deltans who honoured the invitation was appreciably long.
In attendance was the chief convener of the meeting and chairman of the Ibori Vanguard, Hon. Edisier Azigbo, Dr. Iduaghan, Commissioner for Health, Wing Commander P.Y. Biakpara, Special Adviser to Ibori on the Niger-Delta, and National Vice President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), and Dr. G .G. Darah, Chairman, Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspapers Limited. Others included nominee for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC chairmanship, Mr. Chris Ghomorhai, Dr. Rowland Oritsejafor, Mrs. Faith Igwe, Personal Assistant to Ibori, Emmanuel Okoro, former speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, and some local government chairmen.
The opening remarks of the chairman of the Ibori Vanguard was marked by a steady flow of encomiums on the 20 month-old Ibori administration in Delta. But the developmental exploits, and the relative reduction of the ethnic hostilities in Warri, were the governor's crusade for true federalism, with resource control as a target. "What we are here for is of compelling interest to all the constituent parts which comprise the Nigerian nation. The Vanguard is a support group aimed at mobilising opinion in support of good governance," he declared.
The Ibori Vanguard's talk show was pivoted around the well researched, penetrating comments from Dr. Gabriel Gordini Darah, the guest speaker of the P.T.I session of 20 January. The Guardian Editorial Board chairman took a cursory look at the injustices of derivation and deprivation in Nigeria vis-a-vis the mounting quest for true, equitable federalism and resource control. Darah poured verbal vitriols on the fraudulent federal arrangement that has foisted pain or deprivation on the Niger-Delta people. He lamented the state of things in Delta State which produce 30 per cent of the nation's crude.
Yet, beyond the foregoing demand for true federalism, and the sacred ethos of resource control, lies a gnawing political factor- the political arrangement nay leadership, that could be trusted with these mammoth responsibilities. It did not take Darah long to provide the answer. He advised, "stand behind the government, our governor, so that we can achieve good derivation of not less than 50 per cent and make ourselves autonomous members of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
Centering his speech around Darah's seemingly innocuous statement, the Delta State commissioner for Health, Dr. E. Uduaghan advised Deltans to throw their weight behind Ibori, as the touch bearer in the struggle for true federalism and resource control. He declared that the only plausible terminal year of the Ibori administration is year 2007.
While the PTI meeting was going on, a similar meeting of the Concerned Deltans for Ibori was on at Otujeremi, one of the local government headquarters in Delta. One of the burning issues at the gathering was the need to give the CDI, a new identity.
The CDI, according to sources, has become irrelevant since the original motive which triggered its formation in 1999 at Ogharafe has been accomplished - Ibori is now comfortably seated in the Government House. According to Wing Commander P.Y. Biakpara, Ibori's Special Adviser in the Niger Delta, two options are to be considered on the issue.
It is either the CDI is cancelled or it is merged with the Ibori Vanguard "... Because we were all concerned, and we all voted for him, and he is now the governor of Delta State." Wing Commander Biakpara (rtd.) who is also the deputy president of the Ijaw National Congress, in the spirit of true Federalism and Resource Control, pledged the Ijaw's continuing support for Ibori till the year 2007.
The chairman of the Ibori Vanguard, Hon. Azigbo insisted that the group was a non-governmental body, with no special arrangement with Ibori. But why the choice of Ibori as an icon for the struggle for resource control? Azigbo hinted that the ruling passion of the group is to provide support for good governance "when we see a man doing so well, we want to conscientise the public and let them know his exploits. Asked if the 'talk show' was not a veiled political campaign for Ibori expected come back bid in year 2003, Azigbo stated that the reference to 2007 does not in anyway smack of electoral campaign.
Meanwhile, the Ibori Vanguard is taking concrete step for expansion. Files marked according to local government areas, gave indication of the launching of the group in all Delta's local government areas. Investigation revealed that Ibori is set to soar on the wings of the recorded development exploits of his administration in Delta State, and another more electrifying accomplishment - his alleged bold remarks on true Federalism and Resource control, as spelt out by the historical Kaiama Declaration of December 1998, which according to Dr. G.G Darah, has christened the Niger-Delta struggle in clear terms come 2003.