THE head, corporate communications, at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Osita Nwanisobi, has described the reported sack of Godwin Emefiele as the apex bank governor by some online blogs as “a mere rumour.”
Nwanisobi confirmed to The ICIR that the alleged sack was not true.
“I heard the rumour the same way you heard it,” the CBN spokesman said in a WhatsApp message exclusively sent to our correspondent.
READ ALSO:
2023: Emefiele withdraws presidential election suit
2023: Court stops CBN, INEC from blocking Emefiele’s presidential bid
2023: Buhari orders Emefiele, others contesting election to resign
Concerns mount over Emefiele’s political ambition while CBN Gov
The blogs had on the morning of Wednesday 25, 2022 published reports of the alleged sack of Emefiele by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The ICIR, however, observed that the blogs could not attribute the sack to any official statement from the Presidency to validate their claim, as they kept mentioning unconfirmed sources.
Presidency sources also confirmed the news as mere speculation.
Meanwhile, the ICIR had earlier reported that the Emefiele had been under intense pressure since he expressed interest to run for the exalted office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Some senior lawyers had raised concerns about his partisan position, which they said would spell doom for the already fragile nation’s economy.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegoruwa, said, “He is the number one banker in Nigeria, he’s the chairman of the Banker’s Committee, and chairman of the financial regulations body in Nigeria that determines exchange and inflation rates.
“It’s not correct for the governor of the Central Bank to declare partisan interest with the sensitive position he occupies.
“He has done a lot of things wrong, because you shouldn’t judge the position of Emefiele with the constitution alone.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria is like the INEC, and shouldn’t be under the control of any political influence or party.
“Remember, he has the power to remove the managing directors of banks. Imagine Emefiele being a member of the APC or the PDP, and he can use his position to punish or witch hunt any bank’s managing director.
“He’s a lender to other banks in the country and in custody of the foreign exchange.
“So how can such a person submit himself to partisan politics?”
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.