Justice Inyang Ekwo, who granted the permission, ordered the Registrar of the Court to release the traveling passport of the former governor to him to undertake the medical trip.

The order of the Judge followed an application argued by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ola Olanipekun, who notified the court that his client had been having health challenges in the receipt times.

He argued that Okorocha, now a Senator representing Imo North in the Senate, would not abuse the order and would return to the country for his trial.

Although, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission represented by Chile Okoroma, had sought to oppose the request, the agency soft-pedalled when Justice Ekwo explained that the request would be granted with a caveat by the court.

While granting the request, Justice Ekwo ordered Okorocha to return the passport to the Court Registrar not later than three days of his arrival in the country.

The Judge held that he would declare Okorocha wanted if he attempted to abuse the favour granted him.

Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed November 7 for his trial in the money laundering criminal charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

Okorocha had in May appeared before a Federal High Court in Abuja, where he pleaded not guilty to the N2.9 billion corruption charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

He made the request to God a few minutes after justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted Okorocha bail in a N2.9bn fraud case preferred against him by the EFCC.

Omwuemeodo issued the statement in Owerri, expressing gratitude to the jurist for granting the bail application.

He also expressed appreciation to Nigerians who prayed for Okorocha’s freedom since he was arrested by the anti-graft agency.

The statement partly read, “We want to inform the general public that Justice lnyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, has graciously granted bail to His Excellency, Senator Rochas Okorocha.

“His Lordship, in his wisdom, granted Okorocha bail on Tuesday, May 31, 2022,(today).

“Okorocha had remained in the custody of the EFCC since the invasion of his private residence and subsequent arrest. He was taken to court on Monday, May 30, 2022, with five others over alleged N2.9 fraud. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.Today, Tuesday, May 31, 2022, Justice Ekwo magnanimously granted bail to the former governor of lmo State and Senator representing lmo West senatorial district.

We thank God for this juicy and lofty development.

“We thank Nigerians within and outside who had continued to send correspondences to show concerns over the fate of the foremost African philanthropist. We remain grateful for their genuine concern.We also thank those who had devoted their precious time to prayers for God’s intervention.Most importantly, our gratitude goes to justice Ekwo, who had seen the efficacy of granting bail to the Ogboko-born enigma.Equally, we pray that the Almighty God would bless the astute lawyers handling the case, immensely. They have remained wonderful. We ask God to show love to the leadership and officers of the EFCC and grant them their heart desires.”

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the remand order on Monday following the arraignment of the former governor in court by the anti-graft agency.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and an ally to the ex-governor, Anyim Chinenye, is expected to join Okorocha in the EFCC custody.

Okorocha, Chinenye, and five companies were arraigned on 17 counts of money laundering filed by the EFCC.

Ekwo adjourned till Tuesday for the hearing of the bail applications by Okorocha and Chinenye.

This is as he once again kicked against the zoning of political offices in the All Progressives Congress, appealing to party leaders to allow a level-playing field for candidates no matter their region.

Okorocha said this on Monday in Abuja at a World Press Conference which doubles as the first official declaration of his intention to run for the Office of President after it was made public on the floor of the Senate last week.

He said, “I hear people talking about zoning, I’m not a candidate of zoning, I am a candidate of justice. Maybe the South-East has not been able to present their matter very well before the rest of Nigerians. I appeal to my party – APC, to allow a level-playing ground. And the South-East must know that power is not given, it is taken. You must reach out to people who you want to vote for you. But let justice reign.”

The lawmaker promised that, if elected, he will reunite the country; a challenge, he said, previous leaders have been unable to tackle head-on.

He also promised free access to education, from the basic to the secondary school level.

Okorocha, a senator and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Rochas Okorocha Foundation would build the university, Premium Times reports.

The former governor was recently conferred with the traditional title of Maga Alherin Kasar Hausa by the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruk.

Isa Halidu, who represented Mr Okorocha at an event in Daura on Saturday, August 7, said students would enjoy free tuition and accommodation at the university.

Okorocha said “Because the Emir of Daura made me a traditional titleholder, I am going to give a gift, perhaps, that would never be forgotten. I will build an Islamic university with modern facilities under Rochas Okorocha Foundation and be commissioned by myself in Daura town”

Okorocha noted that his Foundation has built schools and undertaken many developmental projects in other states, hence paying back Daura town for what President Buhari has done for Nigeria

The party made this known in a statement by its Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, John James Akpanudoedehe, titled, ‘APC Alerts on the fake letter of Senator Rochas Okorocha ‘Suspension’.

According to Akpanudoehede, the letter in circulation claiming that Okorocha has been suspended was forged.

The “fake” letter had claimed that Okorocha was suspended by the APC for alleged anti-party activities on Tuesday.

The statement read, “It has come to the attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress that a fake letter of a purported suspension of Senator Rochas Okorocha from the party is circulating in the public space. Fifth columnists and forgers have obviously taken advantage of the unfortunate and recent leaks of our official correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to copy and paste forged signatures of the CECPC Chairman and Secretary on equally fake letters. The APC does not currently have a “National Working Committee” as stated in the fake letter, but a Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee which has been saddled with the mandate to reposition, unite and strengthen our great party. We call on the discerning public to be wary of fifth columnists and jobbers relentlessly scheming to use every opportunity to stoke crisis in the party and polity through fake news. We also urge the media to always rely on our well-known and official communication and publicity channels to get information on the activities of the party. We urge everyone to discountenance the fake letter as it is a figment of the imagination of fifth columnists.”

The former Imo state governor was arrested in Abuja on Tuesday, April 13, and is currently being questioned over an N7.9 billion alleged fraud perpetuated when he served as governor of the state.

A source in the antigraft agency says the former governor is yet to be granted administrative bail.

The source said “The former governor has been undergoing interrogation in the last 24 hours. He has not been admitted to bail. There are a lot of transactions which he ought to clarify. So far, he has been cooperating with our team. He might need to go through some documents and give his own side.”

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, the senator representing Imo West senatorial district, said the #EndSARS protest is not just targeted at the police but also a reaction to years of bad leadership, joblessness and poverty in Nigeria.

He said “What started a few days ago as a peaceful protest has escalated into losing many souls and burning properties with people living in fears. This situation is very unfortunate and highly regrettable. I want to sympathise with those that have lost their loved ones due to the protests. However, I want to say that this is a wakeup call by the youths of this country to the leaders of this nation. It is a pointer that we the elite have been selfish in handling the affairs of this country. There has been a track record of unfair leadership for a long time. The #EndSARS protest is not just targeted at police but a disappointment over economic issues in a nation where we have joblessness and poverty for the youths. While commending President Buhari for the actions taken so far, especially in reassuring the youths of meeting up their demands, we must also act quickly under this present situation to prepare for the future. Today, we have millions of out of school children in the country, it is another time bomb for tomorrow. While the situation is getting under control, government and leaders must rise to their responsibilities to ensure that such future occurrences did not happen again. Yes, it was anchored #EndSARS, the Nigerian youths are not against the police but against a certain segment of the police formation. So, killing innocent policemen/women and military personnel is really uncalled for. The social media have not helped matters in this period especially when people are posting old pictures and making them look like current ones with people believing in it and acting otherwise. The truth is that our lifestyle provokes youths. We must call on leaders, the legislatures and executives, to change our lifestyle as a mark of sacrifice. It is not necessarily because they are comfortable with what they get. And even when they get, they have thousands of people that supported them in addition to the extended family system in Africa. There are in-laws, friends, classmates, political associates and at the end of the day, the federal house members end up in penury. However, I strongly advocate that the legislatures and executives must make sacrifices from their salaries and allowances as a way of ameliorating the situation the youths are facing”

The former Governor of Imo state who noted that the people of Edo State revolted against injustice in the recently concluded governorship, also alleged that his party has failed to address some issues threatening its sustenance.

Okorocha said “I will not congratulate the PDP, I will congratulate the Edo people. I congratulate them for standing up against injustice because the people that voted for Obaseki are not only PDP, even people in the APC voted for him. They want to stand up for injustice, Edo people are not docile, they know what they want and how they want it.”

Okorocha, who is representing Imo East Senatorial District at the House of Assembly spoke during a press conference after Tuesday’s plenary in Abuja, he said, Nigerian leaders, must make sacrifices when it comes to pushing the interest of the nation.

He explained that the nation can only get things right when all leaders were ready to make sacrifices, saying that each State should produce a Senator to make laws on behalf of the citizens of the state at the National Assembly.

On the controversy, his contribution on the matter generated a few weeks ago, Okorocha said, his colleagues misquoted him out of context, noting that there was a need to cut costs on lawmakers.

“I have probably been misunderstood by my colleagues on what I said on the floor of the Senate that a state should produce a Senator.

“Nigeria is a large country blessed with intelligent people we need to sacrifice and also harness our potentials to get the nation moving ”

Okorocha disclosed that he was already working towards achieving the aim of making sure that there was one Senator per State.