By Charles Igbo
Not a few people wondered why former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, tried to leave Nigeria for the United States of America the same day his tenure as Governor expired.
Obiano was on his way out of Nigeria on March 17, 2022, after handing over power to his successor, Professor Charles Soludo.
But he was intercepted, and arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 8.30pm by Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He was, thereafter, flown to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja, detained for five days, before he was granted an administrative bail.
Many thought the hurry with which he tried to leave the country was untidy. And considering that he was aware that the EFCC had placed him under its watch- list since November 2021, they thought he was trying to escape from the country.
But his Lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, says perish such thoughts.
In an exclusive interview with Premium Times, Ikwueto disclosed that Obiano had an already scheduled medical appointment with his doctors at the Spring Creek Urologist Specialist, LLC, Houston, Texas, USA. He described Obiano’s condition as “semi-fatal.” He, also, said that Obiano, aware that he had been placed on the EFCC watch- list, had reached out to “authorities”, before his aborted trip, to explain his condition, and assured that that he would be back to the country to face any allegations against him by the EFCC, as soon as he is through with his doctors.
He got assurances of an intervention with the EFCC, the Lawyer said, but was shocked that his medical trip was aborted after the assurances.
Premium Times quoted Ikwueto as saying: “He was not running away. Why would 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, USA.
“By the nature of the 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 Radiology for eight weeks – which will take place immediately upon his arrival at the facility in Houston, Texas, USA, and, thereafter, after four days. Subsequent treatments are scheduled everyday for a period of eight weeks.”
According to Ikwueto, Obiano has been receiving treatment in same hospital every three months.
Said he: “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.”
It is not known yet when his travel documents will be released to enable him travel. Until he became Governor, Obiano was resident in Houston, Texas.
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