SERAP demands Emefiele’s removal over involvement in politics

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Friday demanded the immediate removal of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over involvement in partisan politics.

Emefiele had earlier on Friday picked up the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination and expression of interest forms to signify his interest in the 2023 presidential race.

However, in a statement issued by its Executive Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP quoted sections 11(2)(f) and (9) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, stressing that the CBN governor flouted the provision by his involvement in partisan politics.

The section 11(2) (f) read: “A CBN governor can be removed by the president provided that the removal shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he so be removed.”

READ ALSO: CBN gov, Emefiele, joins race for presidency, picks N100m APC nomination form

Similarly, section (9) of the Act states that “the Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”

The organisation described the development as a blatant aberration of the CBN Act, stressing that the governor had no constitutional right to venture into partisan politics.

The statement read: “We urge President Buhari to exercise his power under Section 11(2)(f) of the CBN Act to immediately remove the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele over his engagement in partisan politics, contrary to the section 9 of the CBN.”

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