Patience Jonathan is now free to enjoy ‘her’ $5.8 million as Nigerians wallow in recession

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday withdrew a motion before a Federal High Court Lagos for stay of execution of a judgment which unfroze the account of a former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

The Skye Bank account is believed to contain about $5.8 million.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on April 6 ordered that the account be unfrozen after Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe, challenged the propriety of EFCC’s action.

He challenged the commission for joining her in a suit, which he said, she was not a party to, and urged the court to unfreeze Mrs. Jonathan’s account.

Dissatisfied with the unfreezing order, EFCC had filed an application for a stay of execution of the order as well as a notice of appeal challenging the judgment.

The two applications, according to EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, were dated April 6 and filed on April 7.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Mr. Oyedepo informed the court of his agency’s intention to withdraw the two applications.

He did not give reasons for the withdrawal.