A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani has questioned the rationale behind the recent announcement revealing that the president has nominated a new Central Bank (CBN) governor.
According to him, a CBN governor can only be removed by a move by 2/3 of the Senate. A condition that hasn’t been fulfilled by the current federal government in the case of embattled Godwin Emefiele.
Umar Sani made this known on Saturday morning in a lengthy tweet.
“This evening a breaking story emanating from the Presidential Villa nominating a new CBN governor and four Deputies via a press statement was released.
“While it is not within my purview to censure the actions of Mr. President as regards his rights to appoint whosoever he wishes I however as a citizen have a right to express a grave concern over the proprietary or otherwise of these appointments.
“The CBN Governor enjoys statutory protection. Both the CBN Act 2007, CBN Amendment Decree 1998, and the 1999 constitution are clear and unambiguous as to the appointment and removal of the CBN governor.
“For clarity, I reproduce section 11 of the CBN act as a precursor to this argument. Disqualification
11. (1) A person shall not remain a Governor, Deputy Governor, or Director if
(A ) he is removed by the President:
Provided that the removal of the Governor shall be supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.
“Emefiele is yet to be removed as provided for in our extant laws and the Deputy Governors were unilaterally removed without recourse to the National Assembly.
“When GEJ suspended SLS as the CBN Governor it was on the recommendation of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, He remained suspended until his tenure elapsed. A lady deputy Governor acted in such a capacity until the coming of Emefiele. Has the law changed to allow the President to remove them without recourse to the Senate or what is happening?”, Umar Sani wrote.
Many Nigerians voiced their opinions which fell in support of Umar Sani’s and slammed the Nigerian government for not obeying the rule of law in the removal of the suspended CBN governor, a move that was stiffly opposed by supporters of the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC).
