Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has asked the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to resign from his position, following the purchase of the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Akeredolu, who said the news of the purchase of the presidential forms by Emefiele was received with shock, asked the Emefiele to leave office immediately for the CBN Governor to pursue his interest.

The Ondo State Governor said this via a statement he personally issued on Friday night.

Governor Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, said Emefiele cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office.

He added that should the CBN Governor refuse to resign, it becomes incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Emefiele.

The governor further described Emefiele’s move as “a joke taken too far”.

He stated: “The news of the purchase of Declaration of Intent and Nomination Forms to contest for the office of the President in the forthcoming general election, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, purportedly by the supporters of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has been received with palpable disbelief and shock by many Nigerians. This act, if unchecked, timeously, portends great danger to the fragile economy of the country.

“Rumours had been rife on the subterranean partisan activities linked to him through these shadowy characters in the recent weeks. Pictures of branded vehicles, ostensibly purchased for electioneering campaigns, were also posted on the social media. The audacious moves by those who claimed to be supporting this interest have been unsettling.

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“This latest news confirms that the Governor may indeed be interested in immersing himself in the murky waters of politics like any other Nigerian with partisan interests.

“It is incontrovertible that Mr Emefiele enjoys a constitutionally protected right to belong to any group or association and participate fully, just as any Nigerian. It is, however, difficult to imagine that a person who occupies the exalted and sensitive office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be this brazen in actualizing his ambition.

“There is no gain asserting the obvious. The combined effect of the Public Service Rules, CBN Act and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, exposes not only the oddity inherent in this brash exercise of presumed right to associate. It also confirms the illegality of the act should he proceed to submit the forms while occupying the seat as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Consequently, we admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest. He cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office. Should he refuse to quit, it becomes incumbent on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to remove him forthwith. This is a joke taken too far,” Akeredolu said.

The Star