Hundreds of protestors on Wednesday demanded the resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, even as they demanded that he returns from overseas to face justice.
At a mass rally at the CBN Headquarters, the president of the National Youth Council Nigeria, Dr. Solomon Adodo, who read a statement on behalf of the CSOs and youth groups, warned that if Emefiele fails to resign, they will be forced to embark on nationwide protest to force his sack.
“We demand that you begin the process of your resignation as stated under the CBN Act 2007, or face a Nationwide Youth Mass Action. For someone who has aspired for the office of the President of Nigeria, you should cease to continue to bring shame to yourself and the exalted office of CBN Governor,” part of the statement reads.
The protestors dismissed claims of persecution, rather stated that the invitation of the embattled CBN governor has “absolutely nothing to do with any of the policies of the CBN. It is on record that in all your voodoo economic policies, destructive Forex regime and alleged corruption, the DSS has never for once interfered; the agency has never expressed any economic opinion directly or indirectly because it is outside its mandate, and it has conducted itself always very professionally.
“Therefore, your claims of persecution have no nexus, history, variables and certainly, no fact. The truth is that you are a fugitive from justice.”
The statement further stated that, “we need not remind you that you are fully aware of the true reason why the Department of State Services (DSS) seeks to question and to investigate you fully. The fact that you have introduced politics into your alleged crimes against the Nigerian State cannot change the fact. And after all the drama, you will still have to answer to the alleged crimes. It is on record that other Deputy Governors and Directors of the CBN who were invited by the DSS were all allowed to go after clearing themselves. Your decision to resort to blackmail is therefore very strange and inexplicable.
“Just recently in faraway London, the founder of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, underwent a routine security questioning, and thereafter was released.
We wish to remind you that ordinarily you know that it is normal for security examination to be conducted of Very Important Persons and high public office holders. It appears that you are hunted by your own activities which are suspected to be treasonable.
“It is our firm position that you have in recent times clearly abused Sections 9 and 11(2)(a & c) of the CBN Act and therefore have no more legal or moral currency to remain as the Governor of CBN. For the records, Section 9 of the CBN Act forbids you from venturing into any activity that will distract you from your full-time duties. The NYCN maintains its stand that your not-too-covert aspiration for the Presidency of the country while in office was a monumental distraction contrary to the above quoted section.
“Furthermore, we contend that you cannot continue to run an important institution like the CBN from overseas. And since you have not formally sought an asylum, which the NYCN will gladly support you if it has merits, the only other reason that must have kept you abroad or away from office for so long must be ill-health, except you wish to admit that you are running from justice. Consequently, you are in breach of Section 11 (2) (a & c) of the CBN Act, and should cease to be in office. The Section states that: “The Governor, Deputy Governor or Director shall cease to hold office in the bank if he: (a)becomes of unsound mind or owing to ill-health, is incapable of carrying out his duties; (c)is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties under this Act”.
Either way, both conditions apply in your instant case and you should be honourable, even if it is for once.”
The CSOs that participated in the protest are; National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Civil Society Advocacy Groups for Accountability and Probity, Citizens Network Against Corruption and Terrorism Financing, Empowerment for Unemployed Youths Initiative, and Nigerian Youth Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development.
Other groups include; Northern Youth Congress for Peace, Association of Artisans and Informal Workers, Coalition for Transparency and Accountability, Independent Security Monitoring and Assessment Team and Independent Public Service Watch.