A Delta State High Court, Kwale Division, has granted an order restricting the Board of Central Bank of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from stopping the CBN governor, Godwin Emiefele from seeking an elective post.
According to SaharaReporters, the application was filed on May 5, 2022, and the order was granted on Thursday, May 12.
Recall that Emefiele when told that Nigerians were anxious about his position, had replied journalists at the Presidential Villa after having a closed door meeting President Buhari that Nigerians can have a heart attack about his presidential ambition, while he’s having fun.
Emiefele had through a proxy, Augustine Eddiego approached the court asking, “An order restraining the defendants from treating the provision of section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 as amended as a bar on the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from seeking political offices pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice herein in this suit which borders on the interpretation and supremacy of the 1999 CFRN.”
Section 9 of the CBN Act 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, except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”
Justice DC Maidoh granted the order on May 5th while adjourning the matter to May 25th.
“The applicant is to enter an undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”
Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters shows that, “The court upon reading through the Motion papers and hearing C.N. Ofiah Esq. for the claimants/applicants ordered as follows: I have read the processes in this suit, the applicant has complied with order 39 of our rules.
“Applicants also deposed to an affidavit of urgency. From the processes before this court, I find that the said application at this stage has merit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted. The motion on notice is accordingly adjourned to 25/5/2022 for hearing. The applicant is to enter undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”
