Powerful politicians behind plot to remove Emefiele – Saraki

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, alleged on Wednesday some powerful politicians were behind the attempt by the ongoing plot to remove the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

A coalition of civil society organizations on Monday evening protested an alleged plot to detain the CBN governor for alleged terrorism financing in Abuja.

The development followed the discovery of a suit filed by the Department of State Service (DSS) at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where it accused the CBN governor of terrorism financing and other activities regarded as threats to the country’s security.

However, Justice John Tsoho had dismissed the DSS bid to detain Emefiele over the secret police’s inability to prove the allegation that the CBN governor was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said the plot to remove Emefiele was related to the 2023 elections and the stringent measures he was taking to enforce financial discipline in the country.

He, however, warned the DSS and other security agencies not to become tools in the hands of politicians ahead of the elections.

READ ALSO: Cash withdrawal policy: CBN’s Emefiele disrespecting Nigerians –Lawmaker

Saraki said: “As somebody who had been wrongly accused of involvement in the Offa robbery by political opportunists, I feel that a similar intrigue is being weaved by those who are bent on sabotaging the 2023 elections.

“My position is not to support Emefiele but to support democracy which is being targeted by the plotters.

“With all the due respect that I have for the DSS as a very professional security agency, I still found it very difficult to understand what led to the charges.

“The DSS did not provide concrete evidence that will enable the court to take a good decision, giving room for suspicion and speculations.

“It is a grand plot by those who want to undermine and sabotage the coming general elections because their calculation on vote-buying, rigging, and excessive use of money is falling apart.”

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