Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa deliberately shunned the church thanksgiving to which he committed from Delta state. The N350million church Thanksgiving and Reception packaged by the Delta state government for the convicted former Governor of the state, James Onanefe Ibori, who recently returned to Nigeria after serving a jail term in London for money laundering and corruption.
The thanksgiving service which started about 10am at the First Baptist Church, Oghara, headquarters of Ethiope West local government area of the state has in attendance immediate past governor of the state and Ibori's blood cousin, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, former Police Affairs Minister Mr. Broderick Alaowie and his wife Mrs Broderick Bozimo, Senators Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Patrick Osakwe, Okowa cabinet members and traditional rulers, among others.
SaharaReporters observed that Governor Okowa was conspicuously absent from the church service but was represented by the Secretary to the State Government Mr. Festus Ovie Agas, however, an official of the state government confided in SaharaReporters that Okowa decided to stay away so as to pretend that the state government did not fund the jamboree celebrating a man who was jailed in the UK for looting the state treasury,Saharareporters had earlier reported N350 million he was released for the event adding that though the governor might still attend the reception, slated for later at Ibori's mansion in Oghara, sources, however, stated he was advised to stay off both events to avoid suspicion.
