TRENTON, N.J. – Gov. Jon Corzine, who was forced to relinquish power after he was seriously injured in a car accident nearly a month ago, said Saturday he will retake control of the governor’s office early next week.

“We’re shooting for Monday,” Corzine said during his first interview since the near-fatal crash on the Garden State Parkway in Galloway Township.

Senate President Richard Codey, an Essex County Democrat, has been serving as acting governor since Corzine was critically injured April 12.

“I welcome him back and wish him nothing but good health the rest of his life. … Codey said, adding with a laugh, “My only question is, do I go to the unemployment line now?”

Corzine was riding in the front seat of an SUV driven by a state police bodyguard when the vehicle struck a guard rail and sent Corzine, who was not wearing a seatbelt, flying into the cargo bay.

Corzine’s SUV was traveling at 91 mph in a 65 mph zone just north of Atlantic City. He was headed to a meeting with just-fired radio show host Don Imus and the members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team, about racially insensitive comments made by Imus.

Corzine has already paid the $46 seatbelt violation fine. An investigation into the accident is continuing.

The decision to take back full gubernatorial authority came after meetings Friday with the governor’s doctors and lawyers, Corzine said during the interview.

“They feel good about where I am physically,” Corzine said during a session that was alternately emotional, light-hearted and serious.

“The one thing they caution is I have to husband my strength. I’m not going to be able to work 18-hour days for a while.”

“If I need a nap, I’ll go take a nap,” he said.

Despite more than a dozen broken bones and a major cut on the top of his head, Corzine’s injuries were not apparent today. He was wearing his trademark blue sweater vest along with khakis and running shoes. The scalp injury is almost fully healed and he was even able to rest his right foot on the bottom of the left leg, which was broken in the accident.

Corzine said he recalls some details about the crash and said he is looking forward to getting back to work. He said he plans to focus on key policy issues while he undergoes rehabilitation on the way to returning to the full public schedule.

Corzine said he will continue looking into ways to lease or sell state assets – like the New Jersey Turnpike or state Lottery – to raise much-needed money for state coffers. And he said he’s looking forward to completing the fiscal 2008 budget, along with introducing policy proposals in the areas of health care and energy usage.

Corzine, a former U.S. senator, was the CEO of financial services giant Goldman Sachs prior to entering politics. He was sworn in as governor in January 2006.

Though the crash nearly killed him, Corzine said he has no reservations about continuing in his office.

“I feel very good about the work I do, the opportunities I have and I like the job very much,” he said. “There are parts of it that are sometimes unpleasant, but on the whole, I can build a pretty interesting agenda to try to help improve this state and continue on the agenda that we have, which is pretty strong.”