Group Exposes Plot To Force Emiefele Out Of Office, Smear Buhari’s Name

The intense battle to get rid of Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emiefele seems not to have abated with the recent revelation by a group under the aegis of Coalition of National Interest Defenders.

According to Daily Independent, it was revealed that some people are planning to force Emiefele to resign as governor of Central Bank and also smear the name of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Coalition, which raised the alarm, noted that the sponsored protest and coordinated attack and smear campaign are against Emefiele and President Buhari-backed CBN policies.

Speaking at its press briefing on Thursday, the Convener of the Coalition, Barr. Tochukwu Ohazuruike said that the move is to fabricate another allegation to help them arrest the Governor of CBN, and force him to resign to pave way for the appointment of a stooge as Acting CBN Governor, despite numerous judgments from courts of competent jurisdiction.

The group said that despite the clear and direct orders of the High court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Department of State Services (DSS) was insistent that it would arrest Emefiele.

Ohazuruike said the flagrant violation of the rule of law was very worrisome and called on all authorities to intervene, adding, “Nigeria is a democracy and as such, the rule of law must prevail at all times.”

On the alleged looted N89 trillion stamp duty fund, the group asked a series of questions, how it could be possible that the N50 charge on electronic transactions is more than the entire financial transactions in the country?

“How can they say we have N89 trillion from stamp duty of N50 charge while the entire nation’s foreign reserve is not near that amount?

“How is it possible that we can have N89 trillion while the entire assets of our nation’s banks, bank profit and all deposits in the banks are not up to that amount? How can we have N89 trillion from just N50 charges when the nation’s total budget since 2016 when President Muhammadu Buhari first presented a budget to date is just about N95 Trillion?

“It means that this amount could have funded all the budget of the country since this administration assumed office. Just how could that be?” The group asked.

The group alleged that money launderers, vote buyers, election riggers and corrupt politicians are the sponsors of the plot to remove the CBN Governor.

“Some Governors who looted the bailout funds to their states from whom the CBN recovered huge amounts including a Governor from whom the CBN recovered N20 Billion are part of those asking for Emefiele’s head,” the group said.

The group also alleged that $2 million has been mobilized to organize media smear campaigns and protests.

The group alleged that groups such as Transparency Africa, League of Professionals for Good Governance and Accountability and an illegal faction of the National Youth Council of Nigeria have been mobilized to carry out these protests beginning from the 9th of January.

The group urged the DSS to apologize to Mr Emefiele for the trauma they have put him through, apologize to President Muhammadu Buhari for opposing his policies and show support.

Also, the coalition called for the President to authorize the Attorney General of the Federation to institute a criminal inquiry into the latest happenings and reiterated its call for the sack of the DG of the DSS so as not to interfere with investigations.