By Osahon Osahon
Investigation by NIGER DELTA TODAY Online has revealed that the revocation of the certificate of occupancy (C of O) of a property belonging to former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori situated on plot 103A Aiguobasimwin Crescent, GRA, Benin, was done on mutual understanding.
It was learnt on good authority that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State discussed the development exhaustively with Ibori before taking the action.
Sources close to former Governor Ibori and Obaseki confirmed this position on Friday to this medium.
The sources disclosed that the former Delta governor consented to the decision months earlier before Obaseki finally took the action on Thursday.
Obaseki had on Thursday revoked the property contained an area of approximately 1985.950 square metres in the Benin GRA.
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Allies of Ibori who were aware of the development told NIGER DELTA TODAY Online said the former governor consented to the reasons given by the Edo governor to revoke the C of O of the property.
One of the sources disclosed that Ibori purchased the property during the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.
A top cabinet member of the Obaseki’s administration confirming the issue, however, added that Ibori had not put the property to use before it was revoked.
Obaseki’s aide, who declined to be named in this report, said the CofO was not revoked with bad intention or as a result of any dispute with Chief Ibori.
The sources also discredit any political undertone on the issue.
The source said the revocation was a mutual agreement between Ibori and Edo State government.
It was also gathered that the former Governor had already ceded the property to his son, who agreed to give it to the Edo State Government.
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“The published revocation order was just to fullfil all legal procedure. Chief Ibori agreed to the deal and there was no political undertone,” the source volunteered.
In public notice published in Edo State-owned Nigerian Observer newspaper on Thursday, Governor Obaseki said he revoked the property in exercise of the power conferred on him by sections (28) 1 and 38 of the Land Use Degree of 1978 and by virtue of all other laws enabling him on that behalf.
