May 31,2022

The Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Center) has dragged Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to court for engaging in partisan politics.

HEDA in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is seeking an interpretation of Section 9 of the CBN Act 2007, to determine whether the CBN governor can participate in the 2023 presidential election while occupying the office of the apex bank.

In a statement issued by HEDA’s chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the civil society organisation said it asked the Federal High Court in Abuja, to order the defendants to enter appearance within 30 days.

Listed as defendants are Mr Emefiele, the CBN and the AGF.

The plaintiff is seeking an interpretation of Section 9 of the CBN Act, as to “whether Mr Emefiele is allowed to engage in other business or partisan politics considering the provision of Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

The suit also seeks an interpretation of “whether the act of the 1st Defendant (Mr Emefiele) being a registered member of a political party; the All Progressive Congress (APC) and nursing a political ambition does not give the 3rd Defendant (AGF) a valid reason to remove the 1st Defendant as Governor of the 2nd Defendant (CBN)?”

HEDA is asking the court for a declaration that Mr Emefiele’s engagement in partisan politics is in violation of Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

The organisation is also urging the court to make a “declaration that the 1st Defendant while being the Governor of the 2nd Defendant cannot engage in any other business, engagement or be a member of a political party.”

The plaintiff asked the court for an order to remove Mr Emefiele from office as the CBN governor “for contravening the provision of Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 in accordance with Section 1 1(2)(c) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007.”

It also requests “An Order Of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 1st Defendant from parading himself as the Governor of the 2nd Defendant.

HEDA also requests “An Order of Perpetual Injunction against the 1st Defendant from being appointed to any public office in the federation for ridiculing the high level of trust placed on him as the Governor of the 2nd Defendant.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.