April 26, 2010
Nigerians in Europe will on Friday protest the support of James Ibori, the embattled former Nigerian state governor, by British Conservative MP, Tony Baldry.
In a campaign called “STOP CONSERVATIVE MP TONY BALDRY’S SUPPORT FOR JAMES IBORI,” the protesters will gather at the Royal Courts of Justice in London at noon to raise their voices.
Nigerians in Europe will on Friday protest the support of James Ibori, the embattled former Nigerian state governor, by British Conservative MP, Tony Baldry.In a campaign called “STOP CONSERVATIVE MP TONY BALDRY’S SUPPORT FOR JAMES IBORI,” the protesters will gather at the Royal Courts of Justice in London at noon to raise their voices.
Ibori, who has a boatload of corruption charges against him, is currently on the run from the law in Nigeria, and is believed by some to be hiding in Ghana or Cameroon. The Nigerian government badly wants him for embezzling over 2 billion naira belonging to Delta state. Policemen who went to arrest him were attacked and over run by the self same militants he claimed to have disarmed while he was governor of Delta State.
Despite being convicted three times in the UK and Nigeria prior to his political career, he went on to become Governor of Delta State on account of the reckless standards of his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). From living on benefits in a council house in London, protest organizers say, Ibori left office after eight years as a billionaire with dozens of luxury cars, as well as properties in London, South Africa, the US, Dubai and Nigeria.
Ibori is also fleeing from the law in the UK, where many of those close to him became accomplices in his extensive money-laundering activities. His wife, sister, personal assistant, solicitor and others are currently on trial at the Southwark Crown Court in London, a city the former governor gives a wide berth.
Despite Ibori’s widely known criminal history, he found support in Mr. Baldry. As we have previously reported, Mr. Baldry visited Nigeria to seek the support of *President Umaru Yar’Adua.
He then famously wrote a five-page letter to key members of the British government, including the Secretary of States for Justice, for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Attorney-General, the Lord Chancellor, and the Home Office in which he attempted to influence the UK Government’s position on the case with the objective of getting it quashed on the basis that Ibori was key to disarming militants in the Niger Delta.
Mr. Baldry, who was paid £37,000 for his troubles, has so far refused to divulge the full contents of the letter.
Protest schedule below:
Date: Friday 30th April
Time 12.00
Place: Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London
Dress: Bring your flags, ring your green clothing, bring your banners
ARISE O COMPATRIOTS!!!!
Or sign up on Facebook.com http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108427412532100&ref=mf
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