The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, arrived the country on Wednesday after eight years in self-exile in France.

Etete, who was a minister in the regime of the late General Sani Abacha, reportedly left the country in 1998 after the demise of the maximum ruler.

In the early days of the current democratic dispensation, President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration embarked on a tacit probe of Etete’s tenure as minister, especially as regards the award of oil blocks during the Abacha regime. The Obasanjo administration voided the awards over claims that the beneficiaries got them in questionable circumstances.

Some of the blocks have also been the subject of litigation both within and outside Nigeria and had also been scrutinised by the National Assembly. Etete was specifically accused of using his office to award the oil block covered by oil prospecting licence 245 to himself.

An aide of the former minister, who declined to be named, said the former minister returned to take an active part in politics and may contest for the governorship of his state, Bayelsa.

He said, “He arrived the country on Wednesday morning via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and was received by scores of friends and associates. His political ambition will be unfolded in due course. He definitely has a role to play in unfolding political developments as the 2007 elections draw near and as the first core Ijaw man to be appointed a federal minister, particularly in charge of petroleum.

“He has been under pressure to join the Peoples Democratic Party but he is yet to declare his stand,” the source said.

When our correspondent met Etete, he explained that he returned to Nigeria in recognition of the fact that he had a role to play in restoring peace to the Niger Delta.

“Yes, it is true that I have a role to play in the political terrain. But what is important to me is to be involved with those on the ground to ensure peace in that environment. That is my priority. I have just arrived the country. I want to see how things are moving. As an elder statesman, I want to see what role I can play in ensuring peace and stability.”

Asked whether he was not afraid of being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Etete replied, “I do not anticipate such. My hands are clean. I am a free citizen. In fact, I want to use this opportunity to thank the President for the opportunity given me to return home and to also thank my friends, family and relations who have been supportive and consistent.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200607293262631

I smell an assasination. I doubt the Niger-Deltans are going to put up with some Ijaw man that got fat off the crumbs from his Hausa master while they were being oppressed by the bastard known as Abacha.

dan etete is deceiving himself EFCC will soon arrest him i'm sure of it why did'nt he just stay in france in his multi million dollar castle he lives in France that was reported in the guardian he used his office to enrich himself and did nothing for his people from the proceeds from his loot i just don't know why thieves think they can contest for any office in nigeria instead of being ashamed of themselves after being exposed of being corrupt and be languishing in jail they still continue to walk the streets free.

i think he must have bribed the immigration people to let him into the country!!

they should have arrested him at the airport

“He has been under pressure to join the Peoples Democratic Party but he is yet to declare his stand,” the source said

what is wrong with journalists in nigeria? they just chat shyt!

i am waiting to see if he is invited for questioning by EFCC< why did he run to exile in the 1st place he he wasn't guilty? IJAW people this are the people killing your state not OBJ

I would have said' I CRY FOR NIGERIA' but i know i shl be laughing instead.,
When a thieving elder stateman has declared his intention to further loot us blind, in an era we can comfortably describe as a new dawn!

Dan Etete remains a goner even now that he's back.

He sure cant oust the incumbent and will never be able to get that sit even at the expiration of the incumbents tenure, so there's no case about him. It's already decided.

none of them will live long. they will all perish one by one. bloddy ingrates.

Don't this people have any morals? how can they continue to loot the and deprive every Nigerian a good life and still continue to act as if they haven't committed any crime?

Deep Soul:


It's amazing that a thief can just enter our dear country and claim to want to "restore peace to the Niger Delta"!

@ Deep Soul,

I agree with you but I am more worried about the thieves (IBB, Orji Kalu, Uba, Marwa et al) who have not even bothered to run away. Indeed, they remain in the country and continue to determine the quality of life that ordinary Nigerians get. It just goes to show that something is very wrong and drastic measures are required.

Odeku:

i am waiting to see if he is invited for questioning by EFCC< why did he run to exile in the 1st place he he wasn't guilty? IJAW people this are the people killing your state not OBJ

@Odeku,

Not quite so, brother. While Ijaw leaders are culpable to a significant degree, Oby is also responsible for Ijaw travails because in the 1970s, he had a hand in drastically cutting down the percentage of derivation going to Ijawland. He cannot, therefore, now don the toga of blamelessness.

"It is an easy thing for one whose foot is on the outside of calamity to give advice and to rebuke the sufferer." – Aeschylus.

welcome at home dan . je suis tres heureuse pour toi j espere que tu lira ce message comme tu le voir je suis encore la bonne chance .good luck

faiza form paris

What a shame.Another thieve parading to be a saint coming back to do what .I really dont understand what our society is turning to, some pple need to be hanged and shot.Haba!I tire for niaja

unbelievable.

Why oh why do some of you have such faith in the EFCC, Why?

Apart from Alams, Tafa Balogun and some fake babalawos who have they jailed?

LOL. Nairaland and una "outrage". It really is amusing. Please let us hear something new and more interesting. What is so unusual in the prospect of a questionable character contesting and winning elections in Nigeria?

Ibori was an ex convict (convicted for coniving with his girl friend to steal from a hardware store) who left the UK and went to Nigeria to contest election. Where were all of you and your outrage? He won elections and went on a rampage, indulging in many questionable practises, where were you and your outrage? He was tried in court, the judiciary under him was made a mockery off and in fact he even had supporters showing up in court, where were you and your outrage? How many of you would have done something as basic as protesting together in public? Who is the current minister for education and what is his history in government and the state of things? What did your "outrage" achieve when Peter Odilli whose wife coincidentally is a judge went to the high court in Port Harcourt to seek an injunction against the EFCC barring them from arresting him or publishing some of the findings of their investigation? What did you do with your "outrage" when the judiciary gave the last elections a pass mark? Abeg do not waste this Nigerian brand of outrage that reeks of false morality, save it and try and put it to better use on broadway. With all the "outrage" going on you would think the country would have been fixed by now or at least a commendable attempt made. Tomorrow some one will bring up a simple suggestion on how they plan to act in changing the country the way that is in their capacity and una go shoot them down with insults while still staying behind keyboard maintaining "outrage" at the situation.

I seriously pray Babangida does not decide to contest elections in Nigeria because like play like play he would get into aso rock and all Nigerians would do is stay there and be "outraged". LOL. Nigeria.

hopefully the efcc will seize all of his ill-gotten gains and throw his ass in prison. i can't believe he was not repatriated from france, or did nigeria not seek his extradition, or maybe he has already bribed his way so that they will have a charade in the pretext of prosecuting him and maybe he'll serve 3 months in prison and be fined few hundred dollars to give the false impression that he was actually brought to justice.

Dont give yourselves headache. Na today Ynash dey back. We do this all the time. A known crook exilses for a few years and comes back to a heros welcome.

Remember Alameshiga, Umaru Dikko, to name but a few. We celebrate thieves in that country. So I say to him welcome

It's amazing that a thief can just enter our dear country and claim to want to "restore peace to the Niger Delta"!

Why can't he? Whats the difference between him, Babangida and Atiku. Naija's politics attracts the criminally insane! Mad people in high places I say.

he is no where near the equation in the Niger delta, small boyz go slap im face, na Abuja im go dey, fear no go gree am, eight years na small thing? things don change, infact im go go back to paris weeping.