ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio has been told in an unambiguous term, that his illegal interference in the court cases involving embattled erstwhile governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Mr Godwin Emefiele, is shameful, dishonourable and unbecoming of a senior lawyer, a senior legislator and indeed the head of the legislative arm of the federation.
The Rights group said the Senate President had embarked on media persecution of the former CBN helmsman with the ulterior motive of imposing a fait accompli on the courts of competent authority.
HURIWA said that the media comments on an ongoing case as made by the Senate President were also an attempt at the usurpation of the jurisdiction of the courts of law.
Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) was reacting to comments made in the media sensationally by the Senate President, asserting that the former CBN Governor who was already undergoing prosecution, destroyed the economy and that government was confused to place specific charges against him.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said on Sunday that the Bola Tinubu administration inherited an economic mess from former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, unsure even what charges to bring against him.
Speaking at Senator Barinada Mpigi’s Thanksgiving service in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State, Akpabio claimed the economic situation left by Emefiele was “terrible.”
“We did not even know what to charge him with – whether for putting foam on top of the bill, illegal firearm possession, printing notes without income. I don’t know what we are going to charge him with,” Akpabio said.
HURIWA which carpeted the Sebate President also wondered how he made a fallacy when he blamed Emefiele for Nigeria’s economic woes but at another breath stated thus: “That rots that have happened in Nigeria for so many years for almost 60 years—cannot be solved in six months.”
HURIWA recalled that Mr. Emefiele is facing accusations from the Federal Government related to financial crimes after Tinubu removed him from his position as CBN governor in June 2023.
The criminal charges against the former governor of CBN were revised by the Federal Government on January 18.
The six counts were expanded to 20 counts.
Emefiele was accused of criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to conduct forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony in the amendment.
HURIWA, however carpeted the Senate President for displaying an attitude of someone who is bereft of any idea about separation of powers as spelt out in the constitution which specifically subdivided the arms of government in section 4, for the legislature, section 5 for the executive and section 6 for the Judiciary, since he said he is part of the executive who ordered the arrest abs prosecution of Mr. Emefiele and now do not know what exact charges to bring against the embattled erstwhile Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria.
HURIWA through its National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, also stated that the media persecution of Godin Emefiele by the Senate President, represents an egregious violation of section 36 (5) of the constitution which affirmed that “in the determination of his civil rights and obligations,
36(5) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty”. Just as the Rights group accused the Senate President of denying the former governor of CBN his constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right to fair hearing by an independent and a competent court of law.
Press statement dated on 19th February 2024.
By Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator of HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA)
