By Maryam Aminu

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations has raised alarm alleging that plots are afoot to frame the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor, Godwin Emefiele by the Department of State Services (DSS)

Speaking at a world press conference on Wednesday 21st of December, 2022 in Abuja, the group operating under the auspices of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in conjunction with Coalition of National Civil Society Organizations (CNCSOs) made this known.

Leading the conference, the National Convener, CNCSOs, who doubles as the Secretary General of CNPP, Chief Willy Ezugwu said that the plot was to keep Mr. Emefiele for at least 60 days until after the general elections next year.

“This should ring a bell when we recall that this alleged plot is coming immediately after the redesign of the naira notes and the review of the cash withdrawal limits for both individuals and organisations.”

The coalition hailed the Nigerian judiciary for refusing to be used for the planned hatchet job.

“According to reports, the affidavit filed by the State Security Service in support of its application claimed that preliminary investigation had revealed various acts of terrorism financing and fraudulent activities perpetrated by Godwin Emefiele and his involvement in economic crimes of national security dimension but there was no evidence.

“Hence, the court rejected to issue order for the arrest of the CBN Governor. Even, the identity of the said Godwin Emefiele, as the sole respondent, was not clearly stated in the affidavit according to the court, which made the plot more of a shoddy deal.”

And, in view of a reasonable suspicion that some politicians may have influenced the State Security Service in the planned arrest of Godwin Emefiele, we join well-meaning Nigerians and groups to the call on President Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to immediately put in motion the processes of suspending and thoroughly investigating the circumstances surrounding this national and international embarrassment. The attempt to obtain a backyard order to remove a high ranking officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for obvious political reasons should be of serious concern to all Nigerians as we don’t know who will be the next, Ezugwu added

By virtue of Section 150(1) and Section 174 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Attorney-General of the Federation has the powers to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court of law in Nigeria.

“Therefore, nothing stops the Attorney-General of the Federation from exercising his powers in this matter to send a clear signal to the international community that Nigeria is not a banana republic, where anything goes. If public office holders who err are not appropriately sanctioned, it will send a wrong signal to foreign investors and project Nigeria as a country without rule of law.

Chief Ezugwu commended the Federal Government on the exemplary leadership with the ban on cash withdrawals from public accounts.

We assure Mr. Godwin Emefiele that Nigerians on the streets, who are in pains of starvation and hunger due to the continued looting of public funds meant for their well-being by some politicians, are standing with him and will vehemently resist any attempt to derail the cashless policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria, he affirmed.