The Labour Party (LP) has described the suspension of the governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, as unconstitutional, saying the permission of the National Assembly should have been sought.
The LP in a statement on Saturday added that the suspension of Emefiele was “not in good taste and sounds punitive.”
The party, in the statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, alluded that the suspension and subsequent arrest of the CBN boss may not be unconnected to “the Naira redesign policy initiated by Emefiele primarily to check vote buying in the last general elections.”
According to the opposition party, the policy was a noble one, which “a particular candidate then, unfortunately, believed was targeted at him.”
It also alleged that the apex bank’s move was considered as “a mortal sin which cannot be forgiven and must be punished.”
While frowning at Emefiele’s suspension and his subsequent arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS), the LP’s acting National Publicity Secretary described the action as unconstitutional, and without the permission of the National Assembly.
“The leadership of the Labour Party is disturbed by the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend/sack the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, albeit unconstitutionally without seeking the permission of the National Assembly and we insist that the action was not in good taste and sounds punitive.
“Drawing inspiration from what Femi Gbajabiamila, then Minority Leader, had said years ago (as quoted above) 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.”