Dwindling economy: Emefiele hiring people with “dirty records’ to fight back – Arewa group alledges

As the Central Bank Governor (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele came under intense pressure to resign from office over dwindling economy by the Arewa Youth Assembly, the group has alledged that there plots were afoot to attack them over their position.

The Arewa Youth Assembly, a socio-political group have lamented the economic doldrum of the nation, saying, it was as a result of anachronistic policies under Mr. Godwin Emefiele’s led CBN.

But in a statement on Thursday which was signed by the Speaker of the group, Mohammed Salihu and made available to CAPITAL POST, they alledged that people with dirty records’ have been engaged by the governor to attack for daring to challenge him.

The statement further challenge the CBN governor to clear the in-house corruption, naira’s free-fall and other nagging issues raised by the group rather than stooping low to engage dirty record bearing elements for attack.

The statement reads: “Based on the Arewa Youth Assembly earlier call on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele to resign his position as the apex bank boss over his inability to stabilise the glaring nose-diving country’s economy, we have noticed the sponsored backlash and propaganda against our persons instead of the issues we have raised.

“The fact that the sponsored messengers of the propaganda couldn’t come up with an issue-based argument is a clear indication that Mr Emefiele has truly failed and they are only helping in further exposing his flaws because Nigerians are watching.

“We suspect that money must have change hands. Mr governor would have proved us wrong with facts and figures, and possibly, engage the services of those with related intellectual to defend his inability to stabilise our bleeding economy.

“We are surprised that, Mr governor would engage those with track records in dirty jobs because of their stomach infrastructure. Those that never promoted a genuine course that can prosper the country except sowing the seed of divisional tune in the country are the ones Mr governor is paying to insult us just for saying the obvious.

The group insisted that they would protest if the CBN governor fails to resign or get sacked by President Buhari.

“While we maintain our three options available for Emefiele – to resign, to get sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari or to force us to occupy the CBN complex, it is important to remind Mr governor and his think-thank the personality of his defenders in this stance.

“Is it not funny that someone like Mr Shettima Yerima, who over time has been a strong critic of Mr President, even when most of his criticism were false and malicious, suddenly coming up to defend Mr Emefiele who is one of the key economic actors in Buhari’s administration?

“We are also aware of those behind the kangaroo congress of the Arewa Youth Consultative Movement that installed one Mr Kabiru Yusuf as its president.

“How on earth did Kabiru Yusuf become the Secretary of APGA just from the blues? A stalwart of the PDP who just lost in the recently concluded party primaries to become the PDP Chairman in Soba LGA of Kaduna state is now a factional National Secretary of APGA?

“We know Mr Ikenga know as someone who would go the extra mile in ensuring that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari fails. But, in all of his attempts, the truth has always prevailed even though he is not resting on his oars and this time around he chooses to take his attacking line from an already cracked end, which is the CBN.

“Is it not obvious that their activities in the defence of Mr Emefiele are a plot to further expose the shambles at the Apex Bank? We will move to INEC headquarters to find out why Mr Ikenga’s party AAP not deregistered?

“We expect Mr Emefiele’s errand boys to come out in his convincing defence. They should tell us that it is not true that our legal tender, the naira has drastically lost its value against other foreign exchanges even in Africa where Nigeria is a big brother.

“They should tell us that it wasn’t true that ₦150bn NIRSAL loan money got missing under Mr Emefiele’s watchful eyes.

“They should tell us that CBN under Mr Emefiele has been very up to date with her audited report.

“They should tell us that the dishing out of BDC licenses has followed due process and are being issued to the right individuals.

“They should tell us that Mr Emefiele is not nursing a secret Presidential ambition that has stolen his attention and plunged the Nigerian economy into a quagmire.

“They should also come out to tell us that their action in defence of Mr Emefiele is not for the money they have collected from the CBN to do so.

“Failure to do all these puts them clearly on the plates as Mr Emefiele’s number one enemies who are hell-bent on ensuring that he gets sacked.

“As a result of his failure to give convincing reasons for his failure, we hereby giving Mr Emefiele three clear options: to resign, call on Mr President to sack him or we occupy the CBN premises until he resigns his position”, the statement concluded.