THERE were strong indications on Saturday that the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, may face more charges of alleged looting of public treasury.
Some elders from the state have stepped up plans to file separate charges against him in January at the Federal Court of Appeal.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday in Kaduna slammed 103 charges bothering on corruption and money laundering against him.
The elders, under the umbrella of Delta Elders Forum, are seeking among other things, that Ibori should account for N159 billion controversial supplementary budgets during his tenure.
Leading the elders in the new offensive against the former governor is a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark.
They are alleging that Ibori passed separate supplementary budgets for five years in one day.
The counsel to the Elders, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, confirmed to our correspondent that they were concluding plans to go to the Federal Court of Appeal, Abuja.
When Sunday Punch visited his chambers at Metro Plaza in Central Area of Abuja on Saturday, he was holding a meeting with a team of lawyers.
After receiving a note sent by our correspondent, he briefly came out and confirmed that he had received instructions from the elders to handle the matter which was initially struck out by a Federal High Court.
�You can see that we are very busy. Despite his arraignment at the Federal High Court in Kaduna , Delta Elders Forum wants the Federal Court of Appeal to compel an investigation of the looting of more than N159 billion through fictitious supplementary budgets.
�The elders believe that the entire 103 charges by EFCC is merely on about N9.1 billion. What EFCC is doing is akin to knowing that a man has stolen ten whales and then, turning around to say that he only stole two fingerlings. The elders want Chief Ibori and all those suspected of looting the state�s resources to give proper accounts,� he said.
Ajulo also stated that those involved in the Delta Elders Forum accountability efforts included Chief Edwin Clark, Senator Fred Brume, Senator David Dafinone, Chief Ogbetuor, Chief Sunday Iyawa, Chief Godwin Obielum, Chief Azuka Osakwe, Dr. M. Oberabor, Wing Commander Biappira (rtd), Chief David Preye, Chief (Mrs.) Bamuza Mutu, Chief Newton Jibunoh and Chief Albert Okumagba.
Clark told our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday that the elders were prepared to take all necessary steps that would ensure justice on the matter.
�Although the EFCC�s trial has vindicated us, we can only be satisfied when all the looted funds are returned. Ibori passed five years� supplementary budgets totalling N159bn in one day, on June 14, 2004, and there is nothing to show for it,� the DSEF leader alleged in an interview with Sunday Punch in Abuja .
Clark said nobody should contemplate to blackmail President Umar Yar�Adua, over presidential campaign funds since Delta was a stronghold of the ruling PDP.
�We are aware that some sort of blackmail is possible because of what he (Ibori) was said to have spent during the presidential campaigns. If it is true, then it is our money and we are the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta state; we support the President and our party and we will not allow anyone to escape justice by using blackmail,� he said.
He accused the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa of being inexplicably soft towards Ibori over allegations of corruption leveled against the former governor in Nigeria and London.
Clark warned that the elders would ensure that Nigeria would be made unsafe for any public official who might seek to shield the former governor from the EFCC prosecution.
He claimed that several obstacles had impeded their struggle to bring Ibori to justice over allegations of misappropriation as the governor of Delta.
He recalled that at a meeting in Abuja, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had promised to facilitate the impeachment of both Ibori and the then Bayelsa Sate governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha before they later realised that Ibori had become close to Obasanjo.
�We met Chief Obasanjo and he told us to take the matters to EFCC, but nothing happened to Ibori even when other governors were being tried. So, we sought an order of mandamus to enable us prosecute Ibori for corruption.
�However, Justice Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja surprisingly ruled that we had no locus standi and threw out our case against Ibori,� he said.
Clark affirmed that the current struggle was not based on any animosity against the former governor but to ensure that Delta state�s resources were deployed to the benefit of the people.
�During his ex-convict case, I went to court, spent my own time and money to support Ibori and I had confrontations with the then Inspector general of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun and former President Obasanjo; �I have no quarrel with Ibori; all we want is our money. As an elder who sees the people�s suffering and how their governor was acquiring assets anyhow, I cannot afford to keep quiet.
�When we recently went with the Vice-President on a visit to Okerenkoko in Delta state, many almost wept when they saw how our poor people were suffering; there are no roads or other infrastructure while Ibori was acquiring luxuries at home and abroad,� Clark alleged.
Efforts were made to reach one of Chief Ibori�s media aides, Mr. Mike Ujiagbedion on Saturday but his telephone line appeared to have been switched off.
Ibori is also under investigation by the Metropolitan police in the UK.
Meanwhile, security was stepped up in Warri and other parts of delta state following threats by three militant groups in the Niger Delta on Saturday.
A reliable source in Joint Task Force told our correspondent in Warri on Saturday that the Commander of the outfit, Major Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, had been directed to secure all the strategic oil installations belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation and the oil majors in the state.
Armoured vehicles and troops of JTF stepped up regular patrol of the major roads and streets of Warri and Effurun since Ibori was picked up on Wednesday.
Although Ngubane could not be reached for comment, a senior Army officer in the security outfit, who craved anonymity, said Ngubane had complied with the order of his superiors.
The source said security had been tightened at major oil locations in the creeks of the state to forestall attacks by youths protesting the fate of the former governor.