James Ibori - Political Career

Political Career

Ibori's political career began in 1990 when he joined the National Republican Convention (NRC). In 1991, he was nominated to contest for the Federal House of Representatives seat, to represent Ethiope Federal Constituency. He lost the election to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate.

When the Sani Abacha Transition Programme kicked off, he joined the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM). The GDM clinched a good number of local, state and federal positions, including one of the three senatorial seats in the state. The transition programme was abruptly terminated with the death of Abacha. Ibori then with the leaders of other defunct political groups in Delta State, formed the Delta National Congress (DNC).

The DNC later merged with many others of like ideas to birth the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was on the platform of the PDP that he contested and won the January 9, 1999.

Proposed as govenor of Delta State, under Nigerian law Ibori had to swear that he had no previous convictions. Using the false birth certificate and passport that he had used for the mortgage applicatio in London, he passed the tests falsely, and was elected to become the governor form 1999. In 2003, he was re-elected as governor for another four year term.

At the PDP's ruling party's pre-election convention in 2006, Ibori was on hand to lift up the hand of the victorious Umaru Yar'Adua. After Adua was selected as their presidential canadiadte, Ibori was accused of bank-rolling Adua's 2007 camapaign, and promised a Vice-Presidential position in return. But after Adua died in office, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan succeeded Adua, an avowed political opponent of Ibori.