I Am A Public Servant, Not A Political Appointee, CBN Gov Tells Court

By Dansu Peter 

The governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has told Justice Abdul Mohammed of a  Federal High Court in Abuja, that he is a public servant and not a political appointee.

He therefore, prayed the court to halt his removal from office, on account of his presidential ambition.

Emefiele had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, applied for an order of status quo ante bellum to be made against INEC and AGF, so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general election.

In an ex-parte application argued in court, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a Public servant not caught by section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act 2022.

The CBN governor asked the court to invoke section 318 of the 1999 Constitution to bar the defendents from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the February 2023 Presidential election.

Emefiele expressed apprehension that sale and submission of Presidential nomination form would expire on 11th May 2022 and that unless the INEC and AGF are ordered to maintain status ante bellum as at May 5 when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his form would be accepted by the appropriate authority.

But the court turned down a request for a restraining order by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Godwin Emefiele, against the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the attorney general of the federation over his Presidential ambition.

However in a brief ruling, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed turned down the request for the order.

Instead, the Judge ordered him to put the defendants on notice and also serve court processes on the defendants.

Justice Mohammed ordered the defendants to appear before him on May 12 and show cause on why the request should not be granted.