Civil Society Organizations have reacted angrily to allegations that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is contemplating a 10-month study leave.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, requested the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), “not to approve any study leave or any other kind of leave for any officer critical to the take-off of the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“One of those rumored in the media to have sought a study leave is Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele.”
“The CBN Governor, Emefiele, was in charge of the country’s financial and monetary systems.” He is the one who conceived and implemented the recent terrible currency swap policy, as well as the naira confiscation scheme, which caused immeasurable misery and agony for Nigerians and set our economy backwards.
“Two of my brother-governors and I took the Federal Government to court over this ill-advised policy and fought tenaciously until we got Emefiele and company to back down.”
This same Emefiele now wants to go on study leave with only 10 months left on his contract, ostensibly to avoid rendering accounts. This is intolerable. This should not be tolerated by President Buhari. Emefiele must continue on the job in order to provide the future administration with comprehensive details of everything that occurred during his tenure. He must address whatever questions that the next regime may have for him, especially because he still has a few months left on his contract.”
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC and Country Director of Transparency International Nigeria, also reacted, saying, “This is part of the political corruption we’re talking about.” Anyone requesting study leave at this time is attempting to avoid accountability.
According to the Code of Conduct Act, all those who served during this administration are required to reveal all of their assets to the nation, even if the President enables them to flee the country. I’d like to urge embassies to reject visas to people accused of corruption, much as the UK does with those accused of electoral fraud.”
Similarly, Mr Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, stated that the CBN governor, who has served in two consecutive administrations, has to give his accounts before being permitted to resign or move.
Attempts to reach the CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communication, Dr Abdulmumin Isa, for comment on the accusation were futile because he did not return calls, texts, or Whatsapp messages.
