By Ayo Yusuf
One year after the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, purchased a form for N100m to contest the presidential primaries under the All Progressives Congress, the Senate on Wednesday considered two bills seeking to ban any future head of the apex bank or his deputies from participating in politics.
The two bills passed a second reading during plenary at the upper chambers today.
The Senate had considered two similar bills sponsored by Sunday Karimi, the lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District and Darlington Nwokocha, lawmaker representing Abia Central Senatorial District.
During the debates on the bills, the lawmakers proposed that Section 9 be further amended to insulate the CBN governor and deputies from participating in politics while in service.
Both senators equally proposed that the Auditor-General of the Federation, Chairmen of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Chartered Institute of Bankers in Nigeria (CIBN) be represented on the board of the CBN.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North Senatorial District, however, opposed the second reading of the bill, arguing that the case of the immediate past Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, which was the case in reference was a consequence of the absence of governance and the will to enforce the extant laws.
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, therefore gave the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance two weeks to report back on the CBN Amendment Bill.
This is coming 17 months after the presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was purchased for former governor Emefiele.
The situation ignited negative reactions from the public, with many Nigerians and groups calling for the then governor’s resignation or sack by the then President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Despite the outcry, Mr. Emefiele remained in his position as the CBN governor until Buhari completed his tenure as President and handed over to his successor, President Bola Tinubu.
Since then President Tinubu had embarked on reforms in the financial sector and has suspended Mr Emefiele from office and has been facing prosecution.
