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On
a day that a London court ruled that former Delta state governor James Ibori,
could return to Nigeria, he signalled a possible political comeback in the
country.
He told Reuters he would return within
days to Nigeria. Ibori was released from British prison in December
after serving half of his 13-year sentence, taking into account pre-trial
detention.
“What happens in African politics – you
are in it until you die,” Ibori told Reuters in London on
Tuesday.
“I am a politician, I will always be a
politician. I play the politics in my party and in my country for the good of
my people,” he
said after a court hearing, part of ongoing legal proceedings in his case.
Nigerian media reported that Ibori’s
release had prompted dancing in the streets in parts of Delta State.
A video later surfaced on YouTube of
Ibori being feted in London by supporters including a sitting Delta State senator
who said, to cheers, that Ibori had “made” the careers of several prominent
Nigerian politicians while in prison.
Ibori declined to say whether this was
true. “The prison telephone is meant for keeping in touch … so you can
reintegrate when you come out,” he said.
Asked if he would run for office again,
Ibori said he was barred from doing so for 10 years because of his conviction,
but that he intended to appeal to have that conviction overturned.
The appeal would centre on an
allegation, made by one of Ibori’s former associates, that a British police
officer had taken bribes in return for inside information on the case before
Ibori’s conviction, and that prosecutors had covered it up.
British police say the allegation was
investigated, resulting in no arrests or charges.
The state prosecution service says
material supporting the allegation exists and it initially failed to disclose
that to Ibori’s defence team, but it is confident Ibori’s conviction remains
valid. Court proceedings are ongoing.
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