James Ibori reacts to death of Senator Okpozo

James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, has described the death of Second Republic Senator, Francis Spanner Okpozo, as a great loss to the South-South and Nigeria.


Okpozo, 81, who hails from Ozoro in Isoko North Council Area in Delta, died on Monday in Benin, the Edo State capital.

In a press statement on Wednesday signed by his media aide, Tony Eluemunor, Ibori said that Senator Okpozo was an indefatigable fighter for the betterment of the Niger Delta.

“We can all recall that during the last national confab, Pa Okpozo’s voice was strident in calling for increased derivation per centage for the oil producing states, even as he warned of the consequences of the injuries that would be done to Nigeria if fiscal federalism was not made a reality in the country”, he noted.

Ibori recalled that the leadership qualities in Okpozo came to the fore when he emerged a Deputy-Speaker of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly.

“Since then, he always remained a voice of reason whenever serious national issues was being discussed”, he said.

Ibori added that Okpozo was a tireless peacemaker who toiled night and day to ensure that peace reignedin Delta State, and prayed to God to grant Okpozo’s immediate family the strength to bear the irreparable loss.