Following his release from prison, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh received a colourful and triumphant welcome as his return to his homeland was ceremonious.
Metuh was arrested on January 5, 2015, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was in custody of the anti-graft agency before he was sentenced to seven years in jail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 25, 2020, after being found guilty on charges of money laundering.
The Court of Appeal, later in December 2020, nullified the jail sentence handed the former PDP spokesperson.
Just after his release, after he was discharged by the court, Metuh travelled abroad for medical treatment.
Thousands of PDP supporters from the 21 local government areas of Anambra State, were armed with party flags and placards. They trouped to the border town of Amansea and danced for several hours while waiting for his arrival from Enugu. This caused traffic gridlock in Awka.
Speaking with an emotional tone, Metuh said he was grateful to God for saving him from the jaws of death.
“I have been to the lowest, deepest end of the valley. I have wrestled with the demons. I wrestled with the devils. The Almighty God has saved me. For that, I commit the rest of my life to the service of God and the people.
“What I passed through was not easy. It was like an armed robber who came into someone’s house and removed all the person’s belongings and even defiled his wife in the process and went on to beat up his children and the person could not do anything because the robber was armed.
“When we have power, we should know how to use it because at the end of the day, all of us will die.
“My message to PDP is hope, forgiveness and unity. We should not continue to dwell on the wickedness upon us. Rather, we should sow happiness, love; we should not sow bitterness.”
According to him, the that PDP lost the 2015 presidential election and that APC did not win the election, even as he added that the true story would be left for another day.
He continued by listing people who assisted him while he was at Kuje Prison, among them were some of the Anambra governorship aspirants for the November 6 election. Those he specifically mentioned were Emeka Etiaba, Chief Chris Azubogu, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, Val Ozigbo, Ugochukwu Okeke, among others.
In his remark, the state chairman of PDP, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu said Metuh really went on a long journey and thanked God that he came back successfully.
He said: “We welcome our brother, Chief Olisa Metuh to his home state, Anambra. It has been a long journey. He is a great man. Great men pass through challenges and turbulent times and those are things that make them great indeed.”
Olisa Metuh was the spokesman of the PDP during the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He was later accused illegally receiving N400 million from the office of the national security adviser.
