James Onanefe Ibori
A 2009 Wikileaks cable released to 234next.com reveals the ambitious political goals of by Wikileak reveals the political goals of former Governor James Ibori of Delta StateMr. Ibori had launched "Operation Zuma," which included a series of deft political moves to "cleanse" his image in the eyes of the Nigerian public and the international community as well as to project himself as a misunderstood person and a victim of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's high-handedness. While at it, Mr. Ibori had set up a website, www.iborifacts.com, which referred to him as the Odidigborigo of Africa, a crude play on such appellations as Nkrumah of Africa and Zik of Africa.
He also decided to start giving public lectures. One of his lectures was organized at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs in Lagos and packaged by Emeka Obasi, the proprietor of the "Business Hallmark" newspaper. Mr. Obasi has since switched over as a propagandist for the Goodluck Jonathan campaign. He describes himself as "convener" of a group tagged "Nigerians for Change
Mr. Ibori also persuaded unscrupulous officials of his alma mater, the University of Benin, to invite him to deliver a founder's day lecture. In addition, he made the rounds of media houses in Lagos on a carefully arranged campaign of image laundering. He told his minions to claim that he was innocent of crimes of corruption and theft of public funds. Around the same time a judge, Marcel Awokulehin set Ibori free from 170-count charges of corruption filed by the Economic and Financial crimes Commission
As revealed by the wikileaks cable, Mr. Ibori had also approached the US embassy through an intermediary with a proposal that he would surrender a portion of his loot to a trust fund to be managed by a separate body. The intermediary estimated Mr. Ibori’s loot at about $3 billion. Mr. Ibori wanted the US embassy to broker an arrangement whereby, in exchange for the cash he would put in the trust fund, he would be sheltered from prosecution in the US, the UK and Europe. The cable indicated that American officials were skeptical of the arrangement
Mr. Ibori is currently in Dubai awaiting extradition to the UK to face money laundering charges. Our investigations recently revealed that Nigeria’s ruler, Goodluck Jonathan, was negotiating a deal to have Mr. Ibori brought back to Nigeria for another kangaroo trial. However, several sources have told SaharaReporters that Mr. Jonathan abandoned the plan after the expose here.
Mr. Ibori’s wife as well as a mistress, sister and one of his UK lawyers have already been convicted for their roles in the former governor’s extensive and mindless looting activities. They are serving jail terms ranging from five to seven years in London
Mr. Ibori’s wife as well as a mistress, sister and one of his UK lawyers have already been convicted for their roles in the former governor’s extensive and mindless looting activities. They are serving jail terms ranging from five to seven years in London