The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), an amalgamation of several groups in Northern Nigeria, has demanded that security agencies in the country including all the anti-graft agencies work in synergy and ensure that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele does not sneak out of the country before May 29.
The coalition also demanded that if any study leave had been approved for Emefiele or any other suspected official, it should be cancelled in the interest of peaceful transfer of power, accountability and good governance.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by the CNG spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, on Thursday, while insisting that the CBN governor must be made to give an account of his tenure to the incoming administration.
The statement reads in part; “The Coalition of Northern Groups is, as usual, worried by the growing uncertainties created by certain destabilizing forces in the country surrounding the May 2029 transition to a new administration elected through the democratic poll processes of February 2023.
“We note that these concerns have been variously hinted at by the nation’s apex security organ, the Directorate of State Services (DSS), the Military high command and the Nigeria Police Force without visible proactive measures put in place to nip them.
“CNG is also worried about reports that some top officials of the outgoing administration are planning to leave the country ahead of the handover, obviously in a bid to cover-up their serial misconduct in office and to avoid being called to account.
“We are especially worried by reports that Godwin Emefiele who has held one of the most important offices in the country as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria throughout all the years of Nigeria’s economic and financial turmoil, is among those planning to flee abroad.
“The CNG has observed also that allegations are growing strong of Emefiele’s planned study leave abroad, presumably to escape Nigeria before the inauguration and avoid questions around alleged terrorism financing, other economic and financial misdemeanors and the introduction of the currency redesign policy in a bid to create obstacles for Tinubu during the presidential campaign which ended up in mass national suffering and confusion.
“It is in view of these and other potential national threats and likely impediments to the smooth takeoff of the incoming administration, that the CNG declares the following definite positions:
“We demand that security agencies in the country including all the anti-graft agencies work in synergy and ensure that all critical office holders in the outgoing administration such as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele did not sneak out of the country before May 29th.
“We demand that when the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari bows out of office all key office holders must be asked to clear themselves of all pending corruption and other allegations against them.
“We insist, in particular, that the CBN governor must be made to give an account of his tenure to the incoming administration.
“We demand that if any study leave has been approved for Emefiele or any other suspected official, it should be cancelled in the interest of peaceful transfer of power, accountability and good governance.” the statement concluded.