Federal High Court judge Okon Abang on Wednesday turned down the application of former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh for leave to travel abroad for medical reasons.
According to Abang, the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the application because there is a subsisting order directing the accused to keep his international passport with the chief registrar of the high court.
“This is not a case of sympathy, but a case of law. This court has no jurisdiction to entertain this application,” he said. “The court is not Father Christmas to give to the defendant what it did not ask for.
He said since that order has not been set aside, the court cannot grant the defendant’s request.
“The application lacks merit. It is accordingly dismissed. The court cannot set aside its decision.”