Despite being listed among the 50 high-profile Nigerians barred by the Federal Government from travelling out of the country, a former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has gone to Germany for surgery.
Kalu’s media aide, Kunle Oyewunmi, who disclosed this, said his principal left the country on Monday aboard a Lufthansa aircraft.
Kalu, who is now a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, according to Oyewunmi, left for Wiesbaden, Germany, alongside his wife, Ifunanya.
The former governor was said to have gone for “a major surgery” to address “an undisclosed and life-threatening ailment.”
Kalu, alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and a former Director of Accounts and Finance at the Abia State Government House, Ude Udeogu, are facing N7.65bn fraud charges before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The 11-year-old case was in September adjourned sine die (indefinitely) by Justice Mohammed Idris, who had been elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The fate of the case remains unclear.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Friday, Oyewunmi said Kalu was rushed in an ambulance to Helios Klinik, Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday and was immediately wheeled into the surgical theatre.
Oyewunmi quoted Kalu’s wife, Ifunanya, as saying that the surgery was successful, adding that the ex-governor had regained consciousness.
According to the media aide, Ifunanya, in a quavering voice, over the telephone on Friday, “lamented her husband’s health status”.
“Although the surgery was successful, my husband will still have to be monitored closely by a medical team for at least four months in order to prevent complications.
“His condition is improving gradually.
“He will be fine, if he is able to keep to his doctor’s advice.
“We appreciate the prayers and kind words from friends, associates, well-wishers and Nigerians in general,” Oyewunmi quoted Ifunanya to have said.
The Punch
