Former Niger Delta Minister, Godsday Orubebe has reportedly visited imprisoned former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori in order to seek his support for his Delta State gubernatorial ambition as the 2015 elections approach.
The Will reports:
sources close to Ibori that the sacked Minister paid him a visit at the Long Lartin Prison in the United Kingdom, where he is doing time for corruption and money laundering on Thursday, February 13, 2014,
Orubebe, who was recently fired from his position by his kinsman, President Goodluck Jonathan over his dismal performance and his inability to deliver on the all important East-West Highway project, asked Ibori to forgive him for teaming up with the President and others in his kitchen cabinet to okay his arrest by the Interpol in Dubai on May 13, 2010, at the request of the British government.
Ibori, who still commands an impressive followership in Delta State, is still very influential and highly respected by politicians and stakeholders, who from time to time visit him in prison to consult with him on political matters.
He was one of the powerful politicians that blocked then Vice President Jonathan from assuming office as acting President in 2010 during the power struggle at the time the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was critically ill and hospitalized in a Saudi hospital.
Our source said, “Ibori was surprised at first that Orubebe wanted to see him after all they had done to him and his family. He (Orubebe) said he came to apologise and to say he made a mistake for teaming up with Jonathan to hand him (Ibori) over to the British government to deal with.
“Orubebe told Ibori that he was shocked that Jonathan forced him to resign as Minister without prior notice, but had taken it in good strides.
“It was a Kodak moment when he told Ibori he wanted him to support his governorship bid in 2015,” the source who asked not to be named told THEWILL, adding “can you beat that? After all they did to the poor chap? These guys are shameless.”
When asked what Ibori’s response to Orubebe was, the source said, “You know Ibori is a very smart politician. What else did you expect him to say?
It is however not clear whether Ibori gave Orubebe the support he had hoped to get courtesy of the visit.
Orubebe hails from Delta South Senatorial District, the same district as the current governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, which makes his chances of becoming governor very slim because of the ruling party’s zoning formula which currently favours Delta North Senatorial zone.
Also, his abysmal performance as Minister in the Yar’Adua and Jonathan governments further weakens his chances of emerging governor of the oil rich Delta State.