An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has demanded the sacking or resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
According to the lawyer, Emefiele has allegedly desecrated his office in the apex bank by showing interest in politics, especially the 2023 presidential election.
Olajengbesi, in a statement on Monday, warned that the CBN governor must quit now as all sensitive materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission are domiciled with CBN headed by Emefiele.
He said, “The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has desecrated his office in the apex bank and must resign now or be sacked forthwith by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Emefiele as a civil servant cannot and should not think of contesting an election whilst still in office. The CBN governor contesting is like INEC chairman running for a political post because he is a critical stakeholder in the country’s election.
“Emefiele is the custodian of all sensitive election materials in Nigeria as INEC uses the CBN as its vault. It is dangerous for Emefiele to continue holding CBN governor office because he is compromised and INEC materials are not safe with him. The 2023 election is presumed rigged should he continue to hold office as CBN governor.
“According to Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007, the apex bank governor must not venture into any other vocation while in office and must resign in writing to the President if he nursed such intention. There are more than enough reasons Emefiele must go now for the credibility of the bye-elections this year, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections as well as the 2023 elections.”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Chairman of Ward 6 in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nduka Erikpume, said the CBN governor had registered as an All Progressives Congress member in February 2021.
Three interest groups – the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Friends of Emefiele and Emefiele Support Group – last week paid N100m for the APC presidential expression of interest and nominations forms for Emefiele.
But the CBN governor, in a tweet on Saturday, said he was still waiting for God’s direction, adding that he would purchase the N100m forms himself if he entered the presidential race.
Emefiele on Monday headed to the court in Abuja to seek a constitutional interpretation on his non-resignation while pursuing his political interests but the court declined his request to restrain INEC and the Attorney General of Federation, Abubakar Malami, from stopping his ambition.
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