'I am not a thief' - convicted former Delta state governor, James Ibori says

Convicted former Delta state governor, James Ibori, yesterday said he is not a thief at a thanksgiving service in his honour at the Oghara Baptist Church. Speaking at the service which was well attended by his family, friends, clergymen and others, Ibori said

"Today, I have decided to speak for myself, I am not a thief. I cannot be a thief. Today is the day they say I should give testimony to God. For those that know me, you know that my entire life is a testimony itself and I have said it over and over again that my life is fashioned by God, directed by God, sealed, acknowledged and blessed by God 

and I believe that since the day I was born. Like Archbishop Avwomakpa said, when this whole commotion started, what was most painful to me was the pain and suffering that my people were going through. What I went through has nothing to do with me as a person because for some reasons, like I said to you, I drew my strength from God and somehow, I knew that God would stand by me. I knew that one day, this day would come. I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand before you and look at your faces, faces that I have missed and those of you that have indeed suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing to do with me.”