Emefiele: Investigate INEC, Not CBN — Labour Party Urges Tinubu
The Labour Party, LP, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, arguing that he lacked the authority to do so.
The opposition party called the President’s action vindictive and unconstitutional, and urged him to go after the Independent National Electoral Commission and its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
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Obiora Ifoh, the party’s acting national publicity secretary, stated this in Abuja on Saturday.
He stated that the Labour Party “is disturbed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to suspend/fire the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, albeit unconstitutionally and without the approval of the national assembly, and we insist that the action was not in good taste and sounds punitive.”
“Mr. President has the right to request the resignation of the CBN governor, just as Nigerians have the right to request the resignation of him or anyone else.
“However, he lacks the authority to do so. Having a right is distinct from having the power. Many have requested that the President resign, but they lack the authority to compel him to do so.” The (then) minority leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, stated this on January 13, 2014.
“Drawing inspiration from what Femi Gbajabiamila, then Minority Leader, said years ago (as quoted above) regarding a similar situation when President Goodluck Jonathan fired former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, in which he questioned the President’s authority in firing the CBN Governor.
“The leader of the opposition made it abundantly clear that the President lacks the legal authority to fire the CBN’s head, according to the laws of the land. One wonders what has changed from that time to the present.
“The current Speaker of the House of Representatives is Femi Gbajabiamila, who also holds the enviable position of Chief of Staff to President Tinubu.
“He then argued that the law requires the President to seek the consent of two-thirds of the Senate in order to dismiss the CBN Governor.
“Reasons being primarily to enforce the doctrine of Checks and Balances and to prevent the abuse of power by an arbitrary and capricious President, while ensuring the autonomy of the CBN.
Under Gbajabiamila’s watch, however, Emefiele was suspended in a manner that was both unconstitutional and vindictive.
“Only in Nigeria do we find people who praise and criticise at the same time. People often say one thing out of one side of their mouth and another out of the other, particularly when it benefits them politically or otherwise.
This explains why the nation is in shambles: there is no rule of law, equity, justice, or fair play. Individuals do not adhere to standard rules and procedures.
“Therefore, every aspect of our lives, whether economic, political, or social, is threatened.
Because he was in the opposition at the time, Gbajabiamila found everything wrong with President Jonathan’s dismissal of Sanusi. However, now that he is on the other side of the political divide, he does not find anything wrong with it.
“This is what Nigerians will experience under the APC government, where perceived enemies are dealt with and perceived opposition parties and their members are dealt with, even if they are legally protected.”
The LP spokesman added, “Most Nigerians will not soon forget the well-known Naira redesign policy initiated by Emefiele to curb vote-buying in the most recent general election.
“A noble policy that, unfortunately, a particular candidate believed was directed at him. According to him, it was an unpardonable and punishable mortal sin. The Labour Party believes that Emefiele is paying for his “sin” as a scapegoat.
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