The suspension of Godwin Emefiele as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has drawn the reaction of the Labour Party.
Emefiele was on Friday suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Subsequently to that, the CBN governor was picked up by officers of the Department of State Security Services in Lagos, with the moment he was being moved to Abuja by flight videoed and trending online.
To Labour Party, his suspension was out of order.
This, the party expressed by a statement its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh released.
It reads in part, “Drawing inspiration from what Femi Gbajabiamila, then Minority Leader, had said years ago over a similar situation when President Goodluck Jonathan sacked former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wherein he questioned the powers of the President in sacking the CBN Governor.
“The opposition leader made it clear that the President lacks powers under the laws of the land to sack the CBN boss. One wonders what has changed between that time and now.
“Femi Gbajabiamila is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and also holds the enviable portfolio as the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu.
“He had then argued that the law requires the President to seek the approval of two-thirds of the Senate to be able to sack the CBN Governor; reasons being essentially to enforce the doctrine of checks and balances and to avoid the abuse of powers of a capricious and arbitrary President, while at the same time guaranteeing the autonomy of the CBN.
“But under Gbajabiamila’s watch, Emefiele was fired in a most unconstitutional and vindictive manner.
“It is only in Nigeria that we find people that approbate and reprobate at the same time. People say one thing from one side of their mouth and another from the other side, especially when it favours them politically and otherwise.
“That explains why the country is in a shambles: no rule of law, no equity, no justice, and no fair play. People don’t follow standard rules and procedures. That is why every aspect of our lives, be it our economic, political and social lives, is challenged.
“Gbajabiamila, because he was in the opposition at that time, he saw everything wrong with President Jonathan sacking Sanusi. Today he is on the other side of the divide he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. This is what Nigerians will face in the APC government, where perceived enemies are dealt with, perceived opposition parties and their members are dealt with, even when they are protected by the law.”
