APC Presidential Form: PDP seeks Emefiele’s arrest, prosecution

Over 5,000 CSOs Throw Weight Behind CBN Gov
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, demanded that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, should be immediately arrested and prosecuted for engaging in partisan politics, specifically for seeking to contest the 2023 presidential election. 

The party, at a press conference, addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, recalled having alerted the nation in March 2022 that Emefiele was being promoted by the presidency as All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.

The PDP drew the attention of Nigerians to the provisions of the CBN Act 2007 and particularly Section 9 which provided that “the Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the bank and while holding office, shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation, whether remunerated or not…”

This provision, according to the PDP, “is clear in demanding that 100 percent of the time and expertise of the CBN Governor and Deputy Governors shall be dedicated to the service of the CBN. This is because the CBN is critical to the integrity and stability of our economy.”

The PDP further pointed out that “Section 030422 of the Public Service Rule states that no public officer shall (a) hold any office, paid or unpaid, permanent or temporary, in any political organisation, (b) offer himself/herself or nominate anyone else as a candidate for any elective public office…, (c) indicate publicly his support of or opposition to any party, candidate or policy and (d) engage in canvassing in support of political candidates unless such officer resigns his appointment.”

The opposition party said Emefiele’s action was more serious when considered alongside with Section 030502 (g) of the rule, which listed “engaging in partisan political activities as serious act of misconduct.”

The party alleged that Emefiele’s involvement in politics without resigning as CBN Governor therefore amounted to gross misconduct in contravention of Section 11 2 (2)(c) of the CBN Act.

“Now that Mr. Emefiele has joined politics and reportedly obtained the N100 million Presidential aspirant form from the APC, he cannot continue to resume at the CBN, which is the commonwealth of our nation. 

“By this, Mr. Emefiele has become a clear and present danger to the health, integrity and reputation of the CBN and our nation’s financial sector. His continued stay as CBN Governor will further destroy investors’ confidence in the integrity of our nation’s financial regulatory Institution,” the party added.

The PDP stated that “Mr. Emefiele’s involvement in partisan politics while still holding office as CBN Governor underpins the impunity, lawlessness and recklessness of the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration and further confirmed that the CBN under Emefiele has all along been the finance department of the APC.

Meanwhile, OVER 5,000 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the auspices of Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG), yesterday, threw their weight behind Emefiele, as the APC presidential aspirant in the 2023 elections.

The coalition, in a statement, in Abuja, said they supported Emefiele because of his unparalleled achievements as CBN boss.

They said Emefiele has brought professionalism and patriotism to bear in managing various sectors of the economy that has kept the nation afloat since he was appointed the CBN governor

The statement was signed by the President, CCSG, Etuk Bassey Williams; Secretary General, CCSG, Abubakar Ibrahim and several civil society organisations.

Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, the coalition said Emefiele could vie for any political position in Nigeria like any other Nigerian based on his constitutional rights.

They also cautioned politicians, who have ganged up to malign and run down Emefiele to desist from such act, warning groups sponsored by intimidated politicians to end cheap blackmail and “calls for him to resign.”

The statement read: “It is really unfortunate that some politicians have nothing to offer because they have run out of steam and are only out to blackmail credible Nigerians, who do not rest but keep our economy working.

“We need to tell the ‘nay sayer’ and other paid agents that during the peak of COVID-19, Emefiele was able to mobilise private sectors to salvage the situation, despite the country’s harsh financial state.”

He also introduced policies to support the poor, such as the Farmer’s Anchor Borrower programme that just witnessed rice pyramid a few months ago…

“In spite of the effect of the recession that Nigeria experienced, the economy remained the largest in Africa by the size of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP.)

“While bemoaning Nigeria’s high import bills, in excess of N1.3t yearly, particularly for items such as rice, fish, wheat and sugar, Emefiele said the bank’s interventions in the agricultural sector would be driven towards improving productivity in areas with high domestic demand, where opportunities exist to improve domestic supply, such as rice, fish, wheat and sugar and conservation of foreign exchange.

“We can go on and on about the great achievements he has recorded and surpassed his predecessors. He is qualified to be the President of Nigeria, and no wonder the issue of his campaign banners is the handwork of Nigerians, who are pleased with his efforts and achievements as the CBN governor.

“The call is a clarion demand for his service to the nation at large, having performed credibly well.

“We also pass a Vote of Confidence on the workaholic and goal-getter game changer, Emefiele, as we throw our weight behind him. We promise to use our massive structures across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in all 744 local councils to ensure we mobilise Nigerians to actualise his presidency in 2023.

“Nobody or group should stampede Emefiele out of office…”