An Abuja-based Anambra-born Lawyer, Barrister JOHNMARY CHUKWUKASI JIDEOBI, has today withdrawn the suit filed against Governor Willie Obiano over the alleged missing 75 Billion belonging to the people of Anambra State that has been a subject of controversy between him the Governor and his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi.In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/15/1059/2015 and filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the Lawyer sued the Governor, the Attorney-General of Anambra State and the Accountant-General of Anambra State as Defendants. "

The suit which has been pending before the Honourable Justice Abdu-Kafarati has now been struck out.

On why he decided to withdraw the suit, the lawyer said;

"You will recall that this suit was initiated with the best of intention to straighten the financial records of Anambra public purse as it appeared to have been mired in a mud of confusion and mystery. Different figures were being bandied as being handed over or have been squandered out-rightly. Unfortunately, our people have decided to play politics and make political capital out of every situation. Some unscrupulous elements and faceless groups have sadly decided to cease the suit as a platform for political vendetta against the Governor in order to advance their own ulterior ambitions and in the process destabilize the state."

"Now that the intention of the suit has been bastardized and muddied in unholy politicking and having regard to the fact that so far all the bogus allegations against Governor Willie Obiano cannot be justified in the face of the large-scale industrialization and massive development going on simultaneously across the state under his watch, I decided that those who do not mean well for the State should not be allowed the undeserved opportunity to launch offensives against the Governor which are at best diversionary and hobbles development. That is quite apart from the fact that despite the pronounced recession Nigerian economy is facing at the moment, the Governor has striven admirably to swim against the tide of economic downturn in steering the ship of the state to a safe harbour."
"It is in this light that the withdrawal of this suit must be seen and understood so that those whose lot it is to pilot the affairs of the state can do so with less distraction to enable them free up energy (which otherwise would be deployed to warding off ill-motivated political offensives) for accelerated development.

The suit which was brought under sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the Freedom of Information Act earlier sought the following declaratory Reliefs;

A DECLARATION that the refusal of the 1st Respondent to publish the records, information and documents as requested by the Applicant in his Letter of Request dated 20th November, 2015 and addressed to the 1st Respondent, constitutes a violation of section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

2. A DECLARATION that it is unlawful for the 1st Respondent to have failed, neglected and refused to publish the records, information and documents requested for by the Applicant in his Letter of Request addressed to the 1st Respondent and dated 20th November, 2015, the said refusal, neglect and failure amounting to a breach of section 4 (a).

3. AN ORDER of this Honourable Court compelling the 1st Respondent to PUBLISH FORTHWITH, on the official website of Anambra State Government in a downloadable form, the following documents, information and records;

a. Certified True Copy of the Statement of Accounts in and from all the Banks wherein all the monies belonging to the people and government of Anambra State were/are kept as at the 17th day of March, 2014.

b. Certified True Copy of the Statement of Accounts in and from all the Banks wherein all the monies belonging to the people and government of Anambra State were/are kept as at the 16th day of November, 2015.

c. A copy of the handover note compiled and delivered to the 1st Respondent by Chief Peter Obi (the former Governor of Anambra State)

4. AN ORDER of this Honourable Court compelling the 1st Respondent to make available to the applicant and PUBLISH OR CAUSE TO BE PUBLISHED FORTHWITH and be placed in all the government's institutions across Anambra State, the following information, documents and records;

a. Certified True Copy of the Statement of Accounts in and from all the Banks wherein all the monies belonging to the people and government of Anambra State were/are kept as at the 17th day of March, 2014.

b. Certified True Copy of the Statement of Accounts in and from all the Banks wherein all the monies belonging to the people and government of Anambra State were/are kept as at the 16th day of November, 2015.

c. A copy of the handover note compiled and delivered to the 1st Respondent by Chief Peter Obi (the former Governor of Anambra State)

5. ANY OTHER ORDER OR ODERS that this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the entire circumstances of this case.