The Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) has dismissed the call for immediate resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over allegations that he superintended over massive looting of funds, describing it as “unpatriotic”.
The group’s President and the Secretary of the Coalition, Mr. Etuk Bassey Williams, and Abubakar Ibrahim made this known during a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
In a strong worded statement by Williams, the coalition said, “In response to the unguided and unexpected call for CBN Governor’s resignation by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), we consider it pertinent to call for restrain from any form of distraction or political mischief from the PDP. This political entanglement with a public institution like the CBN is very unpleasant, uncalled for and should not be entertained by any patriotic Nigeria.
“After an appraisal of the statement credited to Senator Udoedehe, we observed that he neither accused Emefiele of any wrong doing nor implied that the CBN Governor was involved in any infraction; therefore the call for the resignation of Mr. Godwin Emefiele by a highly respected political party is regrettable and most uncharitable.
“We frown at the mischievous misrepresentation of the political utterance of the APC Caretaker Secretary: Senator John Udoedehe by the PDP and advice that the political Parties should exempt the CBN Governor and the CBN in general from their political gimmick and concentrate on their political games.
“We hereby call on those who find it profitable to peddle wrong information to stop. This act is unpopular, mischievous, wrongful and should not be associated with a political party that once praised and proudly informed Nigerians that Mr. Godwin Emefiele performed excellently well and did justify the confidence reposed on him by the PDP.
“We hereby state emphatically that any act designed to frustrate efforts of Mr. Godwin Emefiele to restore the economy from its downward slope orchestrated by fall and unstable price of crude oil, rejection of our agricultural produce in foreign market, low quality of our industrial good and the advent of Covid-19 pandemic will be opposed.
“We frown and express deep disappointment that some persons or political party will make itself available to unsettle the CBN Governor. No reasonable person will embark on such venture, because it is unpatriotic. We should not be seen creating crisis for an individual/institution making effort to revamp the economy that has witnessed two recessions by no fault of the Governor of CBN.
“In conclusion, we request that we all support Mr. Godwin Emefiele irrespective of creed, party affiliations or ethnicity. There is no doubt that the Governor of CBN and his team will stabilize the naira value of restore the economy.”