Chief Ayirimi gave the hint while addressing journalists on Friday, in Warri, Delta State. He said the 13-year prison term of the former governor in London will soon elapse and his return to Nigeria is imminent, but was not sure if Ibori will defect from his party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when he is eventually left off the hook. Ayirimi, who is an adopted godson of the former governor, also chided foremost Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, for keeping sealed lips in the face of damming corruption allegations against his kinsman and former militant, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Having led the then Delta State Elders and Stakeholders to petition the EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu on corruption allegations against Ibori, Ayirimi wondered why the same Clark would, today, look the other way when his kinsman, Tompolo, is facing similar corrupt charges. “The likes of E.K Clark under the aegis of Delta State Elders and Stateholders Forum through petitions went after Ibori in his days. So, you’ll know that Ibori’s case was very very political. “Now, you’ve seen somebody who allegedly diverted money for some other things and was invited by EFCC and the court and refused to go and went as far as allegedly vandalising pipelines and they’ve not even made any comment on it,” Ayirimi stated. He lauded former Secretary General of the National Union of Petroleum Employees and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, for asking Tompolo to give himself up for trials. “These are the kind of elders we need at this time. The kind of elders who will look at you and say what you are doing is wrong. “If I’m doing what is wrong, my elders should be able to tell me straight that it is wrong. Not because Kokori is an APC chieftain, what he said is very correct,” the new entrant to the family of APC in Delta noted. It will be recalled that Chief Ibori was, on 27 February 2012, accused of stealing US$250 million from the Nigerian public purse, in which he pleaded guilty to 10 counts charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown Court, London. He was subsequently sentenced to 13 years by the court on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.]]>