From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Social activist, Public Affairs Analyst and Social Commentator, Hamzat Lawal , has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Governor, Dr Godwin Emefiele.
Addressing journalists in Okene over the weekend, Lawal said Emefiele’s continued stay in office as CBN governor could erode and compromise the credibility of the 2023 general elections following his attempt to contest the APC presidential primaries.
Emefiele had indicated interest to contest as president in 2023 on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress but rescinded the decision after public outcry.
Lawal, a guest at the silver jubilee anniversary of Dr. Ado Ibrahim as the Ohinoye of Ebiraland, said that for free, fair and credible 2023 general elections, INEC should not keep sensitive election materials at the CBN with Dr Emefiele sitting in the office as its governor.
“ I commend INEC for saying it will not keep sensitive materials in CBN: being partisanship as head of a sensitive independent government organization is enough for him to be sacked and the national assembly should at resumption, initiative moves for his sack.
“This is because the governor of the CBN is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress and his integrity and credibility to continue to act in that capacity is at stake.
“It has never happened in Nigeria; this is very dangerous to our democracy which has performed poorly under Ahmed Lawan. The CBN governor’s power is enormous under the CBN Act, so he can’t be a politician.
“INEC has done well to look for an alternative place to keep our electoral materials.
The rights activist expressed regret that Nigeria’s democracy under Ahmed Lawan has performed abysmally as it failed to make key legislation that will positively impact on Nigerians.
End.