A lawyer, Festus Ogun, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to remove Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Emefiele, who is in his second term as the country's top banker, has entered the presidential contest for 2023.
The CBN governor paid N100 million for the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination and expression of interest forms.
Ogun stated in a statement on Friday that the move was illegal, morally abhorrent, and degrades whatever institutions remain in Nigeria.
The lawyer backed up his demand for Emefiele's dismissal by citing Section 9 of the CBN Act of 2007.
It states: “The governor and 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.”
Politics is a vocation, according to Ogun, and Emefiele is barred from participating in party politics by law.
He said “embarrassing failures”, Emefiele disregarded law and morality to vie for President under the ruling APC.
“Our national vault is no longer safe. Mr. Godwin Emefelie must immediately resign his position as CBN Governor to save our country from this unthinkable absurdity.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must immediately commence thorough investigation into Emefiele’s period in office.
“I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to invoke his statutory powers under Section 11(2) of the CBN Act to sack Emefiele."
“The National Assembly and civil society organizations are equally enjoined to intervene in this peculiar institutional desecration. All is not well”, he added.
Comments