FG urged to facilitate Ibori’s release from London jailOGHARA—MORE than one year after formerDelta State governor, Chief James Ibori, wasconvicted by a London court, his kinsmenand key political stakeholders in Delta Statehave called on the Federal Government tofacilitate his release and subsequent returnto Nigeria, describing him as an epitome ofinfrastructural and human capitaldevelopment in the state.Niger Delta activist and Warri chief, AyirimiEmami, who was among stakeholders thatspoke to newsmen in Oghara, the countryhome of Chief Ibori, shortly after a noveltyfootball match organised to celebrate theformer governor’s 55th birthday, describedhis travail as political, adding that Iborideveloped the youths, roads and otherinfrastructure to better the lots of Deltans.Chief Emami, Chairman of Itsekiri RegionalDevelopment Committee, IRDC, said: “Despitebeing in prison, if Ibori happens to contestelection now, he will win because he is aman of the people.”Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Mr.Ben Igbakpa, an aide to Governor EmmanuelUduaghan, Faith Majemite, a member on theboard of the Delta State Oil Producing AreasDevelopment Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr.Henry Ofa and other top political officeholders in Delta State, who also bared theirminds described the huge turn-out ofpeople at the novelty football match playedat the Oghara township stadium betweenIbori United of Oghara and Ibori United ofWarri as a testament of the ex governor’spopularity and developmental strides whilehe was in the saddle as Delta State chiefexecutive.An Oghara indigene, Simon Otobo opinedthat the Urhobo, who prayed for Ibori’sarrest were now regretting doing sobecause of the political gulf his absence wascausing the Urhobo nation and pleaded forleniency on the part of the Nigerian andBritish governments.An elderly woman and a commercialmotorcycle rider, Omoko Rose andEdafewogho Ekawhen, respectively,commended the former governor fordeveloping Oghara in Ethiope West LocalGovernment Area of the state and appealedto the Federal Government to work towardsIbori’s release, noting that it would helpstabilise the polity.Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Mr.Ben Igbakpa, an aide to Governor EmmanuelUduaghan, Faith Majemite, a member in theboard of the Delta State Oil Producing AreasDevelopment Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr.Henry Ofa and other top political officeholders in Delta State, who also bared theirminds described the huge turn-out ofpeople at the novelty football match playedat the Oghara township stadium betweenIbori United of Oghara and Ibori United ofWarri as a testament of the ex governor’spopularity and developmental strides whilehe was in the saddle as Delta State chiefexecutive.