By Gideon Njoku

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, talks Irresponsibly, and does not have the carriage of one in such a high position.

The Party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, was reacting to Emefiele’s statement where he asked Nigerians who criticised his dabble into political party politics to go ahead and have a heart attack while he has his fun.

The CBN Governor had caused a stir, and shocked Nigerians, by not only dabbling into politics and registering as a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress,  APC, but by aspiring to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Even though speculations had been rife on his interest in the Presidential office, he neither confirmed, nor denied it, but Nigerians were alarmed when Emefiele purchased the APC N100m Expression of Interest and Nomination Presidential forms which he, however, later explained were purchased for him by grateful farmers. Not many people were convinced.

When it was pointed out to him that as the CBN Governor, it was both morally and ethically wrong of him to dabble into politics  and that it was a breach of a CBN act for him to aspire to run for the office of the President while still holding the office of the CBN Governor, Emefiele went to court.

However the pressure and the controversy prevented him from going further. At the close of the submission of the APC Presidential completed forms, Emefiele was not one of those who submitted their completed forms.

But even at that, not a few Nigerians insist Emefiele must resign. They say he has desecrated the high office of the CBN Governor. They say he has compromised the office. For instance, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, usually keep all their sensitive materials with the CBN for elections. Now, INEC is in a quandary. It hardly knows where to store the materials for the 2023 General elections if Emefiele continues to be in office, given his surprising unprecedented political moves.

It is based on all those and more that the main opposition Party, PDP,  insists Emefiele must go.

The party was also miffed by what it called Emefiele’s recklessness when he asked Nigerians criticising him to go ahead and have a heart attack.

Emefiele was appointed the CBN Governor by the PDP Government of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

Following is the full text of PDP’s Press Statement dated May 14, 2022.

PDP Blasts Emefiele Over “Heart Attack” Comment

…Insists He Can’t Continue as CBN Governor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns as reckless, irresponsible and unpardonable, the comment by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, that he is “having a lot of fun’ in his actions which are in violation of the CBN Act 2007 and the Public Service Rules.

“This comment by Emefiele who also stated that Nigerians can go ahead and ‘have heart attack’ over the widespread anxiety in the country arising from his involvement in partisan politics, is provocative and enough to trigger a nation-wide restiveness, pitch Nigerians against the CBN, shut down the economy and destabilize the polity.

“The PDP asserts that despite Mr. Emefiele’s alleged withdrawal from the Presidential race due to the pressure by our Party, he still cannot continue as CBN Governor having become partisan as a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The CBN which keeps ALL sensitive materials for elections cannot be trusted with the custody of such materials with a biased Mr. Emefiele at the helm of affairs.

“It was despicable to watch Mr. Emefiele on Thursday May 12, 2022 at the Presidency, brazenly and derisively spit at the concerns of millions of Nigerians, the International Community and the Corporate World when he said of Nigerians, “let them have heart attack. It’s good to have heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”

“Mr. Emefiele has crossed the red lines; he is provoking and daring Nigerians to do their worse especially in the face of huge allegations and revelations of massive looting, manipulations and doctoring of the books in the CBN under his watch as recently exposed in a leaked phone conversation and for which he ought to be behind bars.

“His unthinking and insensitive comment further establishes that he is not a fit and proper person to hold public office and continue the coordination of our national commonwealth as the CBN Governor, having exposed his lack of the required professionalism, code of conduct and regard for public concerns on issues that affect our economy and the electoral process.

“It also underpins the thoughtlessness and endemic corruption in the Buhari-led APC government and further shows the decadence in the CBN under Mr. Emefiele.

“The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to decisively rebuke and sack Mr. Emefiele only confirms that impunity is an official policy of the APC administration.

“Emefiele should know that Nigerians will never have heart attack because of APC’s impunity. Instead, they are now, more than ever before, ready and resolute to confront the situation and rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the APC.

“Now that he has been confirmed to be a card-carrying member of the APC, Mr. Emefiele must forthwith steer clear of the CBN as he cannot continue as the Governor. Anything short of that amounts to testing the will of the people and the PDP will not hesitate to call out our members and teeming supporters across the country to, within the ambit of the law, defend and protect the integrity of the CBN and our electoral process.

“For Mr. Emefiele, he should be ready for investigation, prosecution and possible conviction for the atrocities allegedly superintended by him as the CBN Governor.”