Group issues Buhari 7-day ultimatum to remove hairdresser appointed as NEXIM Bank Director

A group operating under the aegis of Lawyers for Reform has issued a 7-day ultimatum for President Muhammadu Buhari to remove a hairdresser he appointed as a Director in Nigeria Export and Import Bank (NEXIM).

The group threatened to drag President Muhammadu Buhari to court if immediate removal of Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete is not carried out as Executive Director of Nigerian Export – Import Bank (NEXIM) within 7 days.

The group in a protest tagged “#Remove Stellaokotetenow”, staged in the early hours of Thursday at the main entrance of the National Assembly, said the NEXIM ED , is not qualified by every standard to hold the position.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the leader of the group, Barrister Oladotun Hassan Esq, said appointment of Stella Okotete as Executive Director of NEXIM by President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2017 was wrong headed going by clearly stipulated requirements in the extant laws governing the Bank.

According to him, Okotete did not have the required 18 years post graduation working experience before her appointment and even not having relevant academic qualification in financial accounting, banking or any business related courses.

“What can only be gotten from fraudulently concocted curriculum vitae of Okotete is that she is a former Counsellor and Beauty Salon Hairdresser .

“This is an arrant disgrace and monumental embarrassment to Government of President Muhammadu Buhari that prides itself as Anti – Corruption Crusader.

“In the face of the law, specifically going by the Central Bank of Nigeria Act Regulations and Order 41(3) of the Senate Rule and by reason of her lack of capacity not to have served in the banking service for 18 years, Okotete is not fit and merit to continue to hold the Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, we therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act decisively accordingly.

“We also request that Okotete should upon removal from office, be prosecuted for misleading the entire Nigerians with false misrepresentations used in securing the appointment.

“If nothing meaningful is not urgently done in respect to our demands on or before 7th December, 2022; we shall not hesitate to seek legal sanction against President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government of Nigeria”, he said .

He explained further that move to get the allegedly incompetent and unqualified Okotete removed, was made in 2018 when petition to that effect was forwarded to the then, Senator Sam Anyanwu led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

According to the group, the committee in its findings, confirmed that Okotete did not have the requisite qualifications and experience for the position but that the Secretary to the government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had all along been blocking implementation of Senate’s resolution against the embattled NEXIM boss.