Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday acceded to the request by Dr. Olugbumi Usim-Wilson for the withdrawal of her sureteeship to the embattled former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh.
The Federal Government had slammed a seven-count charge against the former PDP spokesman for allegedly receiving the sum of N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Mohammed Dasuki.
The surety, in her application dated October 4, 2016, prayed the court to remove her name from the list of people that stood as sureties to the former PDP spokesman.
Usim-Wilson, however, did not give reasons for her withdrawal.
Metuh on his part had replaced Usim-Wilson, with the deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu to stand as his surety in the matter.
Counsel to Destra Investment Limited, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), who did not oppose the application by Usim-Wilson’s application, however told the court that the application was made in bad fate.
Describing the development as unfortunate, he told the court that no cogent reason was placed before the court on why she was withdrawing her suretiship and that the practice should not be allowed into the nation’s practise.
Counsel to the applicant, Clement Chinaka on his part told the court that his client stood as surety voluntarily and the court should allow her to withdraw since she acted in good fate.
He also prayed the court to hold that Metuh will not in any way harass or intimidate the applicant but Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) raised a serious objection to the last prayer.
He told the court that the submissions of the applicant’s counsel was a joke taken too far and further prayed the court to hold that the application was not part of the prayers.
In his ruling, the trial judge, Justice Abang granted the application of the applicant and he was subsequently withdrawn as surety for Metuh.
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