Don’t Turn Suspended CBN Governor, Emefiele Into A Scapegoat, Bakare Warns FG

 Senior Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as the Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, on Sunday warned the Federal Government against making the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele a scapegoat for his monetary policy decisions.He warned that even though Emefiele may have made wrong judgements in the management of Nigeria’s monetary policy, he must not be made to bear the consequences alone.

Bakare said that considering the provisions of the CBN Act 2007, there is every possibility that the erstwhile CBN governor did not act without presidential authorisation.

Bakare stated these during a State of the Nation broadcast on Sunday addressing recent happenings in the country.

Many senior government officials including President Tinubu, and some governors in the All Progressives Congress, have in the build up to the last general election faulted some of the monetary policies of the CBN under Emefiele particularly the naira redesign policy.

Tinubu had, shortly after taking over as President, suspended Emefiele from office. He had stated that it was sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.

The suspended CBN Governor became a guest of the Department of State Services following his arrest in Lagos by operatives of the secret State Service and airlifted to Abuja.

Emefiele was detained for over a month before the DSS was ordered to either release him or charge him to court.

Following the order of the court, a two-count charge was quickly instituted against him by the DSS.

The DSS in the charge sheet, accused Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.

The government maintained that the offences are contrary to section 4 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.

In the second count, the suspended CBN Governor was accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (Cartridges) without a licence, which is contrary to section 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.

Emefiele was arraigned on August 3 and granted bail but was immediately arrested by the DSS for another offence that was not stated

Emefiele responded with an appeal seeking to stop the Federal Government from further remanding or prosecuting him on the charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition or on any other charge for that matter.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the case till Tuesday, August 15, for further hearing.

But speaking on the development, the cleric maintained that Emefiele should be prosecuted if found guilty of any crime, he noted that events before the 2023 presidential election pointed to the direction of political vendetta against the suspended CBN governor by President Bola Tinubu.

Bakare said, “Mr Godwin Emefiele may have made the wrong judgement calls in the management of Nigeria’s monetary policy, but he must not be made a scapegoat.

“In the provisions of the central bank of Nigeria, CBN Act 2007, there is every possibility that the erstwhile central bank governor did not act without presidential authorisation.

“If Emefiele is found liable for any crime, by all means, he should be prosecuted. However, considering the dynamics of the pre-election environment and the then-candidate Bola Tinubu’s public allegation that the naira redesign policy was targeted at him, the optics of the president targeting Emefiele for prosecution after winning the election and being sworn in as the president could be interpreted as a form of vendetta far beneath such a distinguished office.”

Bakare also blasted the Department of State Services (DSS) for their role in Emefiele’s arrest and detention, saying that the actions of the DSS had raised concerns over professionalism and adherence to the rule of law.

“Considering the claims of the DSS that its actions were in reaction to order from above, handling of Emefiele case has sent a signal to the world that the current president’s disposition to the war against corruption is primarily motivated by the clampdown on the perceived political adversaries, while various other enemies of Nigeria remain untouched,” he said.