Ibori pleads guilty in London

Some politicians on Wednesday hailed the plan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to try former Delta Governor James Ibori for corruption in spite of his trial by a London court.

The EFCC on Tuesday said it would still try Ibori when he returned to Nigeria. Ibori pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of fraud, stealing and money laundering before a Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday.

He will be sentenced in April. In separate interviews with NAN, the Public Relations Officer of the KOWA Party, Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya, said that there was the need to still try the former governor in Nigeria.

`` Justice must always pursue its course; it is important that nobody be made to feel that he is above the law; any one who has committed a crime should pay for it,'' she said.

Sonaiya called for the removal of immunity clause for public office holders to enable them to realise that they were not above the law. ``The challenge is for us to build a system which will treat everybody equally before the law,'' Sonaiya added.

Also commenting, the National Chairman of the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Malam Yusuf Buba, commended the plan. He said Ibori's plea before the London court could be a sign of his repentance but that should not prevent his trial in Nigeria.

The Lagos State Chairman of the Justice Party (JP), Mr Ayo Akintayo, also supported the EFCC's plan. ``The EFCC will have to further try him once he returns to Nigeria.

Since he has confessed in London, he also has to confess here,'' he said. Akintayo said that the former governor did not plead guilty in Nigeria in the hope that he could escape conviction.