By Okiemute Okpomor Former Governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori, on Saturday, February 3, 2017 returned home to a heroic welcome by friends, kinsmen and political associates who thronged the Osubi Airport near Effurun in Delta State as early as 6.30am.
The former Governor was released last month from prison in the United Kingdom (UK) after serving out a sentence.
He arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the early hours of Saturday, where he was expected to board a plane to Delta State almost immediately but this was not to be as he was made to visit the headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS) where he was said to have been questioned and debriefed before being allowed to board a plane to Benin.
His close friends, kinsmen and close political associates flocked the Osubi Airport in spite of the fact that his home coming was meant to be low keyed.
Some eminent Deltans sighted at the Osubi Airport include; Mike Adiotomre, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Member representing Okpe State Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Evance Ochuko Ivwurie, Member representing Ethiope East State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Chief Austin Ayemidedjor, SSA to the Governor, Asaba Airport, Olorogu Emmanuel Okpako Ganiga, National President, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), United Kingdom, Hon Emmanuel Ighomena, Hon. John Nani, Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ben Igbakpa, former Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vincent Uduaghan,
Commissioner for Transport, Chief Ighoyota Amori, Chief Philomena Oyearone, former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and the Managing Director/CEO of DESOPADEC, Williams Makinde .
Others were Hon. Solomon Golley, chairman, Ethiope West Local
Government Council, Hon. Ejaife Odebala, chairman, Sapele Local
Government Council, Hon. Godwin Ejinyere, chairman, Okpe Local
Government Council, Hon. Otiotio-Dabonar, chairman, Uvwie Local
Government Council, Hon. Ibru, chairman, Ughelli North Local
Government Council, Hon. Solomon Kpomah, chairman, Udu Local
Government Council, Chief Pius Ovbije (POC), Commissioner on the Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC)among many others.
Speaking to Prompt News Online, at the Osubi Airport, Ethiope West PDP chairman, Onome Ojo expressed happiness over the safe return of the former Governor.
According to him, “I am the most happiness person today. I am so
delighted that Chief Ibori is back home. He is a man of the people.
Chief Ibori is like a solution to many problems and so I am very glad that he is finally back home.”
Mr. Sunny Onuesoke, a Chieftain of the Delta State PDP has this to
say, “the arrival of the doyen of Nigeria politics, Chief Ibori will
strengthened the unity of PDP nationally and will definitely
consolidate the 95% strong hold of PDP in Delta State to full blown
100% control. He is a man of the people like my Governor Okowa. A political grass root breed. I personally give glory to God for his
safe arrival”.
Unuesoke added, “I am overwhelmed with the arrival of the doyen
of Nigeria politics and Delta State in particular because he is one
man who plays politics for the benefit of his people. And the best
politicians in the world are those who plays politics of development.
His return to Delta State is more of interest to Deltans as a whole
whether PDP or APC. I will not ascribe the arrival of Chief Ibori to
the benefit of Urhobos alone but the full state as a whole. His
arrival has shown that God is good”.
Ighoyota Amori who arrived at the Osubi Airport at about 2:
20pm, said he was elated that the former Governor has finally arrived back home safely.
Also speaking at the Osubi Airport, the immediate past Transport
Commissioner in Delta State, Hon Ben Igbakpa said it was a good thing that the former Governor has finally come back home.
But confusion rented the air over his arrival. While a sea of Deltans
waited anxiously for several hours at the Osubi Airport, news later
filtered in that he was arriving at the Benin Airport.
At exactly 2.40pm, news came that the former Governor has landed at the Benin Airport and was on his way to his home town, Oghara, Headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.
Anxious Deltans at the Airport immediately rushed out of the Airport and headed to Oghara, a journey of about 30 to 40 minutes drive to welcome the former Governor back home, some of them said, “Ibori is really an enigma, look at this type of ‘Maradonic display of making the crowd to wait for him at Osubi Airport only to come in through the Benin City Airport”.
This correspondent also hopped in his car with some other journalists and headed to Oghara only to see another mammoth crowd of more friends, kinsmen and political associates.
However, the gate of the country home of the former governor was locked and many people tried to force their way in through the pedestrian small gate.
Rt. Hon. Monday Ovwigho Igbuya, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly and other top dignitaries were seen being assisted by the security men at the gate making efforts to get inside the palatial compound.
However, reprieve came when the gate was opened for all to go in as the man of the moment came in amidst thunderous shouts of joy and there excitement in the air, it was quite hectic for the car that brought him to move because of the large crowd, the security men had hectic time ferrying him in as he managed to wave to the people who now become more uncontrollable due to excitement as they saw their brother, friend and political hero back home, he was immediately whisked inside the house.
