 Today
Justice
Mercel Awokulehin the Judge of the
Federal High Court Asaba failed
again to give judgement on the 176 count
-charge of alleged corruption filed
against James Onanefe Ibori,former
governor of Delta State.The
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC had arraigned Ibori in
Kaduna but the case was later transfered
to a new High court in Asaba.
Ibori has been
seeking to quash the allegations against
him .In fact there had been great
speculations that the High court in
Asaba might do Ibori's bidding but it is
curious that Justice Awokulehin
has been adjourning the case.Today's
adjournment is known to be the third in
a row .Interestingly Ibori has
always made himself available in
court.
But the
intrigues behind the trial are at best
amazing. Newsdiaryonline has been
reliably told that Ibori sees this trial
as the only obstacle to his presidential
ambition .That is why he is pulling all
the stops to ensure that the corruption
charges against him are quashed.It was
further learnt that the judge has come
under intense pressure by forces calling
for justice to do what is right by
ensuring that justice is delivered in a
manner commensurate with the alleged
crimes .It is believed that the pressure
and counter-pressure on the judge may be
responsible for the delay in delivering
judgement
According
reliable sources, if Ibori secures an
acquittal from the court, he
believes he will be a vice presidential
candidate in 2011.''He wants to be vice
president in 2011 and he also wants to
be president afterwards.That is his
gameplan and that is why he is working
hard to ensure the allegations against
him are quashed'' Newsdiaryonline was
told.
This
revelation is likely to stir up
further interest in the Ibori affair.He
is one of the most influential
former governors.He took on Nuhu Ribadu
and influenced his removal from
office.Ibori is reputed to be close to
President Umaru YarAdua.Though some
officials say the hitherto chummy
relationship between the president and
Ibori has turned sour in recent times
especially after YarAdua failed to stop
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ,the Central Bank
governor .The former goevernor of Delta
state wanted Yar'Adua to call
Sanusi to order after he was named among
the billionaire debtors.But the
president told the former Delta state
government to go and pay his
debt.Attempts to blackmail YarAdua by
saying the debts were part of the money
used to fund YarAdua's
presidential elections failed to
convince YarAdua to change his mind.It
was on the heels of that frosty
relationship that Ibori launched a media
campaign recently trying to unusually
defend himself over his travails
in the court of public opinion -since
Yar'Adua seemed to be distancing himself
from the embattled ex-governor
Though
Yar'Adua has according to sources not
been very happy with Ibori of late, the
former governor still has a very strong
''backbone'' within the Yar'Adua
presidency in person of Michael Kaase
Aondoakaa,the minister of justice and
attorney general of the federation.It is
believed that but for the counter
pressure, Ibori would have long had his
case quashed.
Whether Ibori
will at last have his wish
and manoeuvre his way to his dream
presidency remains to be seen.
Related updates
Ibori Verdict :
This Judgement Can’t Stand – EFCC
Ibori: No
Respite yet for A Plunderer |
