Akinaka described it as gross misconduct not needed for anyone vying for such an exalted office.
A Niger Delta youth leader and businessman, Richard Akinaka has lambasted the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, over his continued denial and stay in office despite his move to join the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
He described Emefiele as a morally weak aspirant hiding to contest for President.
He, therefore, called for the disqualification of the CBN governor.
Richard said though he has nothing against anyone with the requisite qualifications to seek political office, Emefiele vying for political office while still occupying the office of governor at the apex bank is a gross violation of ethics.
Akinaka described it as gross misconduct not needed for anyone vying for such an exalted office.
According to Akinaka, Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007 provides that “the governor and the deputy governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the bank, and while holding office, shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation, whether remunerated or not.”
He pointed out that "politics is a vocation and the CBN Governor is not allowed by law to engage in partisan politics. It is unthinkable that Emefiele, despite his embarrassing failures of managing the country’s economy still wants to further wreck the entire country."
He said, "Every young Nigerian, especially those of us within the age bracket of 40 years and below, should be concerned with what is going on in this country to the extent that it should be our priority to decide the next set of leadership we desire. Because we have a great stake in this country now.
"But in the interim, what is the major issue now is the level of decadence in our public sector. The loss of value to the extent that public offices are now being driven by the whims and caprices of those who occupy them.
"I see no reason why the Central Bank Governor will be politically exposed. Though he has a right as a Nigerian to contest elections, he has a right to pursue his political aspirations but not at the expense of the office he occupies, when campaigns, billboards and branded cars and posters are everywhere about his ambition and he is denying it.
"But right now, it is on record that nomination form has been bought and according to him or media reports, it was bought by local farmers. A form worth 100 million naira! It is not true. With the level of hunger ravaging this country, I don't think local farmers have the money to make such contributions.
"It is rather unfortunate that he cannot come out boldly to own up to his aspiration because he doesn't want to resign from his office and this is the height of immorality and irresponsibility and for me, this alone should disqualify him.
"In any case, what does the CBN governor, Emefiele have to offer to Nigeria seeing the level of the economic woes we have in this country under his watch? What else does he have to offer this country that he has not done?
"So, I am calling on the National Assembly, as a matter of urgency, to enact a law so that people in public offices will not have the undue advantage to use government resources and influence to pursue their political aspirations. What is going on is wrong. Emefiele has a mark of honour which I know he has lost and should resign immediately and save the sanctity of that office if he wants to contest."
A coalition of rice farmers and other crop growers had purportedly moved to drag Emefiele into the 2023 presidential race by purchasing N100 million All Progressives Congress’ presidential expression of interest and nomination forms for him.