News

Premium Times Echos Dele Momodu’s Call for Emefiele’s Resignation

Published

4 years ago

February 21, 2022

Eric

Premium Times, an online news medium, has joined the call for the resignation of the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

The medium made the call in its February 21, 2022 editorial, thereby echoing a previous call made by a presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, published in The Boss Newspaper of Saturday, February 19, 2022.

Emefiele has been accused of meddling with politics while still retaining his office as the CBN governor.

Read the editorial in full

EDITORIAL: Why Godwin Emefiele must speak up or resign

The run up to the 2023 general elections was always going to be torrid. For one, project Nigeria has not, since the heady days of the struggle for independence, and in the ferment of the civil war, appeared more imperilled. On several fronts, the barbarians are literally at the gate. In major parts of the north and down south, non-state actors are demonstrating a capacity to deploy weapons and tactics that daily undermine the integrity of the state, while simultaneously hurting the economy.

Within the gates, all the main measures of domestic well-being have collapsed. As bad as the unemployment indices are, they are but passing commentary on the high levels to which domestic poverty has risen – all of these worsened, no doubt, by rising and volatile domestic prices. Output numbers released last week by the nation’s bean crunchers confirm that the economy may have finally put the strictures from the COVID-19 pandemic behind it. Nonetheless, the numbers by which the economy continues to recover are nothing like what it needs to grow and develop.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, the race to succeed President Buhari, whose somnolent administration failed to make the dent on the economy’s major drawbacks that it promised at the hustings, is heating up. Accordingly, this newspaper’s bias is for a candidate familiar enough with the nation’s lead peeves – political and economic – and knowledgeable enough to proffer workable solutions.

Amongst the diverse offering of would-be candidates for office of president next year, one stands out: the incumbent governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Whereas those advocating his candidacy for office of the president are advertising Mr Godwin I. Emefiele as capable, regarding his understanding of the economy, PREMIUM TIMES finds his candidature disturbing. This has nothing to do with his inability to bring about stable domestic prices in his role as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since 2014. Or with the many monetary policy contortions that have willfully eroded the value of the naira and the balance on the nation’s gross external reserve in the same period. Nor is our worry with Mr Emefiele’s candidature a response to the Central Bank’s many failed interventions in diverse spheres of the economy, all of which have seen the bank’s balance sheet balloon far faster than the yield on its spend.

Instead, PREMIUM TIMES believes strongly that the operational and administrative autonomy granted the central bank by its enabling statute was precisely to protect the governor from political influence. Indeed, this newspaper recognises no measure of this intent greater than the Central Bank of Nigeria Act’s cap on how much ways and means support the bank may lend the Federal Government – a provision of the Act that, as with so many others, has been shredded by Mr Emefiele’s leadership of the Central Bank.

While Mr Emefiele may have violated the spirit and letter of the Central Bank Act by succumbing to political pressure as Central Bank Governor, as is evidenced by the Bank’s continued monetisation of the Federal Government’s fiscal deficit, PREMIUM TIMES believes that it could not have been the intendment of the framers of the Central Bank Act to protect the governor from political influence by protecting a politician in that office.

If Mr Emefiele wants to run for political office, common sense and good breeding dictate that he does not sully the hallowed offices of the Central Bank as part of this process. PREMIUM TIMES notes that whereas he could have, he has not distanced himself from the clamour of those who would have him become president next year.

It is in defence of the sanctity of a key institution of the country’s economic governance that PREMIUM TIMES calls for Mr Emefiele’s immediate resignation as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to pursue his political ambition, if he has any, or to publicly repudiate any association with the groups clamouring for him to run for president.

It is our considered view that the statutory independence granted the Central Bank and its governor is compromised, if not totally eroded, when a sitting and serving Governor of the Bank becomes a closet politician angling or lobbying to be appointed to or to contest for a partisan political office. Whether he openly makes known his partisan political interest or does so through shadow proxies is immaterial.

Once occupancy of a partisan political office becomes his major preoccupation, his commitment to the bank’s service can no longer be guaranteed. His resignation is even more desirable because for as long as he remains at the helm, while he is consciously and calculatingly seeking the occupancy of a partisan political office, the important work of the Central Bank and the monetary policy direction of the country are likely to be subordinated to the pursuit of the actualisation of his political ambitions. In the end, the independence of the Bank is lost. And the nation poorly served by shielding a politician in this very important office.

This concern becomes very critical when we recall the ignominious role played by the Central Bank in the 2015 presidential election and in previous elections.

News

Police Nab Coordinator, Two Monarchs over Killing of Four Persons in Ebonyi

Published

1 day ago

February 3, 2026

Eric

The police in Ebonyi State have confirmed the arrest of Mr. Anya Baron-Ogbonnia, Coordinator of Amasiri Development Centre in Afikpo, in connection with the killing of four persons in Edda Local Government Area (LGA).

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abakaliki.

Ukandu said that the arrest followed a joint operation involving the Army, the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

He said that two traditional rulers – Onyaidam Bassey and Godfrey Oko-Obia from Amasiri in Afikpo council area are also in police custody.

The police spokesperson said that 10 people were earlier arrested in connection with the incident.

Reports said there has been a long-standing land dispute between the people of Okporojor in Oso Edda community in Edda and their Amasiri neighbours in Afikpo LGA.

Suspected warlords from Amasiri community, on January 29, 2026, attacked Okporojor Village and beheaded four persons, burnt houses and destroyed other valuable property.

“Yes, on the Thursday attack, the update is that the coordinator of Amasiri, two traditional rulers from Amasiri and other individuals were arrested by a joint operation of the security agencies in the state.

“Those arrested are all in our custody and investigations on the killings are still ongoing.

“The command and other security personnel will not relent until all those involved are brought to justice,” the PPRO said.

NAN

News

Lagos Govt Bans Illegal Chieftaincy Titles

Published

1 day ago

February 3, 2026

Eric

The Lagos State Government has warned individuals and groups against assuming or parading unauthorised chieftaincy titles.

It described the trend as illegal and disruptive to public order.

In a public advisory issued on Monday, the government said its attention had been drawn to “an unhealthy development where some individuals or groups have assumed certain Chieftaincy titles, either on their own or as leaders of ethnic groups, without the approval of the State Government.”

The advisory, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, stated that such titles are not recognised by the State.

The advisory said, “These titles are not recognised in the State and their use has caused tension, confusion, and needless crises. The situation requires urgent action to inject sanity and arrest the growing trend of impunity, in the interest of peace, law and order in the State.”

The government noted that the number of self-acclaimed traditional rulers had continued to rise despite previous regulatory efforts.

“The preponderance of these self-acclaimed Chieftaincy titles has reached an alarming level, rendering efforts at curbing these untoward excesses by the State Government through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development largely ineffective,” it stated.

While acknowledging Lagos as a cosmopolitan state, the government warned against the assumption of royal titles and styles not backed by law.

“While we recognise the right of various groups to appoint leaders to coordinate their affairs in Lagos State, the assumption of Chieftaincy titles and nomenclatures equivalent to that of an ‘Oba’ or appellations such as ‘His Royal Majesty’, ‘His Royal Highness’ or its equivalent is in contravention of the extant Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State 2015 and thus illegal,” the advisory read.

The government stressed that only the governor has the authority to approve chieftaincy matters in the State.

“Particularly, the appropriate authority for the approval of Chieftaincy titles in Lagos State is Mr. Governor through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development,” it said, adding that Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20 of the law outline the procedures for such approvals.

News

Court Restrains NLC, TUC from Embarking on Strike, Protest in Abuja

Published

2 days ago

February 2, 2026

Eric

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates from proceeding with a planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Emmanuel Sibilim issued the interim injunction on Monday, barring the labour unions from embarking on any form of industrial action or protest within the nation’s capital. The court also restrained three individuals — Comrades Benson Upah, General NA Toro and Stephen Knabayi — who were listed as respondents in the suit.

The ruling followed an ex parte application jointly filed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The motion, marked NICN/ABJ/30/26, was argued on behalf of the applicants by a legal team led by Mr. James Onoja, SAN.

In its order, the court restrained the 1st to 5th respondents, “their privies or agents, from embarking on strike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” It further directed the 5th to 9th defendants, who are security agencies, to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the FCT.

The claimants informed the court that the Chairman of the FCT Council had circulated a mobilisation message to union members and affiliates, calling for a mass protest scheduled for February 3. They argued that the planned action amounted to a violation of an existing court order.

According to the FCT Minister, an earlier injunction was granted by the court on January 27, after which the NLC and TUC allegedly issued fresh directives to their affiliates to intensify and sustain the strike, citing an appeal they had filed against the restraining order. He maintained that such actions were intended to provoke chaos and disrupt public order in Abuja.

Following the ruling, the court adjourned the substantive matter to February 10 for hearing.

Details contained in an affidavit filed in support of the application outlined the sequence of events that led to the court action. The claimants averred that:

“On the 19th of January, 2026, the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant acting under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), commenced an industrial action by locking all entrance to offices and the secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, including closure of schools and all departments and agencies of the 2nd Claimant. Thereby, bringing the governmental functions and activities of the Claimants to a standstill.”

The affidavit further stated: “Being law abiding, the claimants herein instituted an action at the National Industrial Court Abuja, in Suit No: NICN/ABJ/17/2026, between the FCT Minister & anor V. Rifkatu Iortyer & anor, wherein the court on the 27th of January, 2026 made an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants therein JUAC, its affiliate unions, and all employees of the 2nd Claimant were restrained from further embarking on any industrial action, and ordered to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The claimants alleged that the injunction was openly disregarded after it was served on the parties.

“Immediately the order of the court was served on parties, the 1st Defendant acting through the 3rd Defendant issued a directive titled: ‘REINFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE TO ALL AFFILIATE UNIONS IN THE FCT’ urging the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant to resume industrial action,” the affidavit read.

It added that on January 28, the NLC and TUC issued another directive titled: “‘DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS WITH COURAGE AND DIGNITY: WE ARE WITH YOU’ wherein they directed that workers of the 2nd Claimant should resume industrial action and jettison the order of the National industrial Court made on the 27/1/2026.”

The court filing further stated that the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) subsequently followed the directive, instructing its members to resume the strike through a notice dated January 28, 2026, signed by Comrade Abdullahi Umar Saleh as JUAC secretary.

According to the affidavit, the situation escalated when the FCT Council allegedly issued another mobilisation notice.

“Acting under the directives aforementioned, the 5th Defendant, acting, as the chairperson of the 1st Defendant; FCT Council, issued a directive on the 31/1/2026, to all affiliate unions named therein to mobilize their members who are employees of the 2nd Claimant for a mass protest in the Federal Capital Territory… on the 3rd of February, 2026 by 7.00 am prompt with a view to causing chaos, breakdown of law and order, and prevent the smooth administration of the 2nd Claimant.”

The claimants said they were compelled to return to court out of fear that the planned protest could disrupt vehicular movement and infringe on the rights of residents and visitors to the FCT.

“The Claimants are apprehensive of the breakdown of law and order obstruction of vehicular movement, violation of the rights of the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, particularly those in the private sector and other government establishments, which includes other States of the Federation, expatriates and tourists, hence the resort to court action,” the affidavit concluded.