Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has reportedly authorized the release of N350m to fund an elaborate church thanksgiving service and reception in honor of former Governor James Onanefe Ibori. .
Ibori was released from prison in the U.K, last December after serving a 13-year jail term following conviction on charges related to corrupt enrichment and money laundering. .
Two sources in Delta State, one of them a senior government official, told SaharaReporters that Mr. Okowa released the funds in order to ensure that the reception, scheduled to take place on Sunday, would be a huge event. .
Speaking confidentially to SaharaReporters, an official of the Delta State government said the governor’s decision was also “a way to show gratitude to Chief Ibori, who single-handedly made sure that he won the 2015 governorship election.” .
The source said Mr. Ibori had done political favors that exceed more than the N350m. “Chief Ibori not only saw Okowa through all the hurdles in the PDP governorship primaries, but made him the governor from his prison in London.
Before now, the governor had always vowed to give Chief [Ibori] an elaborate reception for standing behind him politically,” the source said.
