Willie Obiano, the immediate former governor of Anambra State, has claimed that he attempted to flee Nigeria for medical reasons on March 17, the same day he handed over to his successor, Chukwuma Soludo.
Obiano was stopped by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) at the Lagos airport as he attempted to board a trip to the United States, according to Anaedoonline.ng.
This sparked rumors that the former governor was attempting to avoid arrest and possibly prosecution by the EFCC, which had placed him on its blacklist in late 2021.
Watch How Aguleri Residents Welcomed Obiano From EFCC Detention (Video)
However, while speaking to Newsmen on Saturday, Mr Obiano, through his lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (a Senior Advocate of Nigeria), said he was not fleeing Nigeria. He said he was rather hurrying to keep a doctor’s appointment to treat a “semi fatal condition”.
“He was not running away,” Mr Ikwueto said. “Why will he run away when his family is here and he has a lot to do here? The fact is that he (Obiano) has a medical condition for which he had a prior appointment to see his Specialist Doctor for treatment at Spring Creek Urology Specialists LLC, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
“By the nature of his ailment, he has been undergoing treatment at the said Specialist Hospital since June 2021 and had an appointment earlier scheduled for the final stage of Specialist Radiography for eight (8) weeks – which will take place immediately upon his arrival at the Facility in Houston, Texas, U.S.A; and thereafter, after four days. Subsequent treatments are scheduled every day for a period of eight (8) weeks.”
Mr Ikwueto said the former governor had since mid last year received treatment at the U.S. medical facility every three months.
“The last time he was there was December 2021 and became due for another round of treatment this March shortly before he handed over to Soludo,” the lawyer said.
LATEST: See Who Obiano Met After Release From EFCC Custody (Photos)
Mr Ikwueto declined to disclose the exact ailment Mr Obiano is treating but Premium Times learnt the former governor was diagnosed with prostate cancer early last year.
“He (Obiano) was lucky that the disease was detected on time. It was still at an early stage when he was diagnosed last year,” said a source familiar with the former governor’s medical condition. He asked not to be named because he had no permission to discuss “private and confidential matters” concerning Mr Obiano.
Mr Ikwueto also said Mr Obiano got permission from federal authorities to travel for urgent medical treatment and that the former governor was surprised that after he was given assurance that he could proceed on his trip, he was blocked at the airport.
“I can tell you that after the media reported that the EFCC placed him on its watchlist, he reached out to authorities at the federal level to seek permission to travel for his scheduled medical treatment,” the lawyer said. “He also promised that he would thereafter return to face any probe the EFCC or any other agency had against him. So it was shocking that he was still treated the way he was despite the assurance he was given.”
Mr Ikwueto, once again, refused to reveal who Mr Obiano contacted at the federal level. When one of our reporters asked him a question, he continually skirted it.
JUST IN: Ebele Obiano Finally Tenders Apology For Attacking Bianca Ojukwu
Independent investigations revealed that Mr Obiano contacted the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. Mr Malami allegedly urged him to go through with his vacation and promised to inform the EFCC that his case would be put on hold till he returned from the United States.
One of the agencies that Mr Malami’s ministry oversees is the EFCC.
The attorney general could not be reached for comment since his known mobile phone number was disconnected multiple times when this newspaper attempted to contact him.
Umar Gwandu, his spokesman, did not answer or return calls seeking comment.
The EFCC has placed the former governor on its watch list for corruption charges since previous year.
The EFCC had demanded that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) place the governor on a watchlist and notify it whenever he travels out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entrance and exit in a letter dated November 15, 2021.
Anambra: Gov Soludo Reveals Debt He Inherited From Obiano
The ex-governor was arrested on March 17 at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, as he tried to board a flight to Houston, the United States.
He was later handed over to the EFCC which then flew him to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for prolonged interrogation.
The former governor was released on March 23 after the EFCC granted him administrative bail. Mr Obiano’s passport and American Green card were withheld as part of the bail conditions.
Mr Ikwueto said Mr Obiano has continued to engage the EFCC to release his travel documents so he could proceed with his urgent medicals.
“He has already provided the agency copies of his medical reports and we are waiting to hear from them,” the lawyer said.
LATEST: First Photos of Willie Obiano In EFCC Detention Facility (Video)
When contacted, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he had not been briefed about any ongoing engagement between his agency and Mr Obiano over the politician’s request to travel.
Follow us on Facebook
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.