December 19, (THEWILL) – The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and Coalition of Civil Societies, have alleged of a secret plot by the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for a bogus terrorism financing claim.
The widely popular naira redesign, which appears to target vote buying during elections, has been rejected by politicians, who are now fighting back using the instrument of state.
Addressing a joint press conference, the Convener of the Coalition and CUPP Coordinator, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, said an application was filed with case number FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, to get a court order to keep Emefiele out of circulation.
The Coalition said the plot is to arrest Emefiele and keep him away for at least 60 days in solitary confinement, which will pave way for his forceful removal from office and destabilize the President Buhari-backed CBN economic stability and reform efforts, especially the new currency redesign and cash withdrawal limit policies, which in the immediate, will help achieve President Buhari’s promise of a credible election in 2023.
They further alleged that on the 7th of December, another exparte application was secretly filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, to get an order to arrest and detain Emefiele for a minimum of 60 days, hiding under section 66 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. The application, which was brought privately before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, was denied by the judge, who accused the DSS of foul play.
The group alleged that Emiefiele would have been arrested on December 7, if the judge had approved their application. The CBN Governor travelled with President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States officially at the invitation of President Joe Biden.
“It has taken us some time, diligent and careful monitoring and resources to discover that on the 7th December, 2022, a Motion was filed in the FCT High Court, with the major target of getting the CBN Governor out of office. The Motion had suit number M/294/2022.
“Sometime within the first week of this month, we intercepted credible intelligence about a plot at certain high places in government to stop the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, by all means, and his policy to redesign the Naira with its January 31st, 2023, deadline and also to put a stop to the cash withdrawal limit policy of the bank scheduled to start on the 9th January, 2023.
“The plotters admitted that their major challenge was that the President had fully approved the policies but agreed that the approval would not deter them.
“They also agreed that they would not be able to get the President to bring to effect Section 11 (2)(f) of the Central Bank (Establishment) Act,” the Coalition alleged.
The Opposition Coalition called for the immediate arrest and removal of the Director of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, for the illegal plot to “frame up an innocent” man and truncate the cash withdrawal limit.
Alleged to be a part of the plot according to the group are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a presidential candidate of a political party, head of one of the anti-graft agencies, some serving and former members of the National Assembly etc.
Human rights lawyers, Chairmen of political parties, Civil Society groups, and Ethnic Youth Leaders including the Arewa Youth Consultative movement operating under the auspices of the Coalition of National Interest Defenders, joined the CUPP to address the conference.
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