Jonathan To submit APC Forms Friday, Emefiele Shuns Resignation Calls

Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan

“But it is now left for him to go even before the case is decided or after. But at least the law would have decided.

“Yes, it (resignation) is left for him but not because of legal requirements. If he wants to go,  it will be on moral grounds, not because the law says he must go now.

Emefiele not a political appointee – Lawyer

“We are talking of the constitution here, we are talking of Section 137 (1g) and Section 318 of the constitution, which makes him a public officer and the Court of Appeal decision that Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act is unconstitutional and that section cannot even apply to him because Emefiele is not a political appointee within the meaning of Section 84 (12).

“If he decides to go, it will be on moral grounds not on the legal or constitutional grounds because the law does not say he must go. It is entirely his own decision and the decision of the President who appointed him not because that is the position of the law.

“The Court of Appeal yesterday (Wednesday) said Section 84, Sub-section 12 of the Electoral Act (as amended) is unconstitutional for being inconsistent with Section 42 Sub-section 1 of the 1999 constitution which gives the right to freedom of assembly and association.

“But our argument actually goes beyond that;  our argument is that Section 84, whether it was validated or not, does not apply to Godwin Emefiele, that section applies only to political appointees. Godwin Emefiele is not a political appointee. Godwin Emefiele is a public officer within the meaning of Section 318 of the constitution of

“And by virtue of Section 137 Sub-section 1(g), a public officer like Emefiele is only required by the constitution to give 30 days notice before the presidential election which is slated for February 25, 2023, that is the position of the law.

“The question of whether Emefiele will leave office during this case, before the case is ended or after the case, is entirely left to him and the President who appointed him. I wasn’t briefed to handle the moral and administrative angles to this case, I was briefed to handle only the legal and constitutional areas and that is what I have just told you, that is the position of the law.”

PDP, others join Emefiele’s suit

A new twist emerged at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday evening as the Peoples Democratic Party and two others joined in the suit by Emefiele, seeking to enforce his right to participate in the 2023 presidential election without resigning his position.

The court had on Monday adjourned to Thursday to enable INEC and the AGF to appear before it to explain why the court should not restrain them from preventing the CBN Governor from realising his political ambition by participating in all the processes leading to the 2023 presidential election.

However, when the matter was called on Thursday, both INEC and the AGF were in court in line with the order of the court.

However, instead of proceeding with the case of the CBN governor, two lawyers stood up to announce appearances for their clients.

First was Chief Sebastiane Hon, (SAN), who informed the court of the intention of his client, the PDP, to join as an interested party, which was immediately followed by one John Martins and Olukunle Ebun, who told the court that they were suing for themselves and on behalf of the Save Nigeria our Fatherland.

Responding, Emefiele’s lawyer, who did not oppose the applicants joining the suit, undertook to serve the applicants with all processes within 24 hours.

After a meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, Emefiele told journalists that his fate was still being decided as regards the controversies surrounding his presidential bid.

This is as he said that despite the current outrage by Nigerians, the main opposition, PDP, and the international community, he was ‘having fun.’

Following his meeting with the President on  Thursday, the CBN Chief told State House correspondents “there will be news”.

The apex bank governor had earlier gone to court to challenge the public service rule that requires public office holders to resign their positions before contesting elective positions.

Asked to respond to reports that Buhari had directed him to resign, he said: “There is no news now, but there will be news. You heard me, I said there is no news but there will be news”.

When confronted with the notion that his current position as a presidential aspirant and the CBN governor is a major point of concern for Nigerians and even the international community, Emefiele noted, “Let them have heart attacks. It’s good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”

The main opposition, PDP, after its 96th National Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday night restated its call for Emefiele’s sack, arrest and investigation.

Speaking shortly after the meeting, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said, “NEC restated the call by the party for the immediate resignation, arrest and prosecution of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, for alleged manipulations and financial impropriety in the CBN which contributed to the collapse of our national economy.

Buhari’s resignation order to save APC, candidates from loss – Presidency

In a related development, the Presidency on Thursday said political appointees contesting in the 2023 general election were asked to resign to save the APC from doom in the controversy over Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the ruling APC is playing safe until the Supreme Court gives the final interpretation of the controversial section of the Act.

Adesina, while speaking on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, on Thursday, recalled how the President issued the directive at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

He said, “The FEC meeting had held and we were closing. That was when the President now addressed the gathering, that some were interested in running for positions. He was specific about the position of the President.  He said those who had collected forms to run for the Office of the President, that it was advisable that they tendered their resignation. And it was in good order for those who had purchased forms to run and for the government.

“One, those who had signified their interest to run could concentrate in their ambitions. If they stayed in the government and they were running their ministries, and then they were also running their political campaigns, it is a distraction. They can’t concentrate. So, it was in their interest that the President said that. (Two), it was also in the interest of the government in that government’s work would not suffer.