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14 Aug

GODWIN EMEFIELE SHOULD BE ACCORDED STATUS OF A COMMON ECONOMIC SABOTEUR WHO PAUPERISED MAJORITY OF NIGERIAN CITIZENS AS GOVERNOR, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

Nigerians from all walks of lives are apprehensive that the Federal Government, through the Department of State Security Services, DSS, may fritter away a great opportunity to deal fatal blows on entrenched economic vampires and saboteurs in the country with the seemingly lack of diligent investigation and prosecution of the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. This concerned is further accentuated with the spirited attempts by the legal team of the ex-henchman of the apex bank to tie the hands of the Judiciary in ensure the enforcement of the bail out of the former Governor and prevent the State from subjecting him to prosecutions.
The National Observatory as a civic engagement body with mandate to prick the conscience  of humanity on sensitive issues as they often affect the survival citizens  view the various illegal, social, and political transgressions of Mr. Godwin Emefiele  during the pendency of his tenure as Governor of the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria as  not only Crimes against the State, but indeed, Crimes against the Citizens, if not against humanity.
 Under Emefiele watch, lives and means of survival of millions of Nigerians were destroyed, his harsh policies – particularly the Naira  Re – Design provoked monumental social convulsions leading destruction of properties, businesses, and legacies. Yet, enforcement agencies saddled with responsibilities for bringing Emefiele to justice for his malfeances  are obviously handling his prosecution with golden, kid’s glove ! Months after Godwin Emefiele suspension from office in June 10, his Lawyers are taking advantage of the inexcusable dithering of prosecutors to seek his reliefs from the Federal High Court, Abuja for Security Agencies to respect the bail granted him and stop the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation  from prosecuting him on any charge.
Needless to delve on the seemingly deliberate trivialization of the essence of its prosecution. It may be apposite at this juncture to highlight the main accusations levied against the Governor before his suspension, which include–
#. Terrorism funding unknown gunmen, ESN, IPOB; .
#. Mismanagement of Nigeria’s social investment program (NISRAL and the Anchor Borrowers Scheme);
#. Money Laundering; Round Tripping; Illegal economic crimes and threat to national security; unwholesome activities through proxies; and, Criminal conspiracy, diversion of Government resources.
 To the chagrin of all conscientious Nigerians however, he was merely brought to court with charges of illegal possession of arms and ammunition !
No matter the parameters that is employed to evaluate the locust years of Godwin Emefiele in helms of affairs of the apex Bank, the verdict remains that he terribly compromised the nation’s economy and shortchanged its revenue base, He remains the  worst Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since inception in 1957. The global standard and principle for Central Bank operations spelt out its key functions to revolve round “ regulation of money supply, management of the  foreign exchange and gold reserve of the country, managing the cost of credits and its availability, and it exercises these functions quietly without publicity hypes or partisanship”. All these indices, Mr. Godwin Emefiele failed in way never before recorded in our apex banking history – from Roy Pentelow Fenton, 1958 -63 at inception to Alhajji Mai Bornu, 63 -67;  Dr. Clement Nyong Isong, 72 -75; Malam Adamu Ciroma, 75 -77; Mr. Ola Vincent, 77 -82; Alhajji Abubakir Ahmed, 82 -93; Dr. Paul Agbai Ogwuma, 93 -99; Chief, Dr. Oladele Sanusi, 99 -2004; Prof. Charles Soludo, 2004 -2009; Malam Sanusi Lamido-Sanusi, 009 -2014 – all respectable, trustworthy gentlemen Captain of the country’s financial industry. None as individual, was as garrulous or reckless as the reign of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, or, even combined !
The crimes of Mr. Godwin Emefiele against Citizens and State are legions, these include :-
#. Alleged infractions in the Management of Stamp Duties, which the DSS initiated machinery to investigate his undermining of President Muhammad Buhari, terrorism sponsorship, money laundering, amongst others but stopped the investigations with court orders and was subsequently allowed to be guarded by military personnel.
#. Emefiele’s subterranean purchase of All Progressive Congress, APC Presidential Nomination Form in May 2022 for whooping N100 Million. Whilst he later ignominiously denied the Presidential ambition after intense public outcry, he had earlier gone to court to seek a restraining order against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and, the Attorney General of the Federation claiming that “ he is not a political appointee but a Public Servant”. Perhaps, he was unaware that he was in gross violation of the Public Service Rule which stipulates Neutrality and Non-Partisanship of all public servants. More  importantly, his ambition was also in contravention of Global Ethical Standard Principles for the management of Apex Financial Institutions !
#. Cruel, Illegal execution of Naira Re-Design policy on N200, N500 and, N1000 denominations which the then Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, Nigeria Bar Association President, Yakuba Maikyau kicked against, the National Assembly for the extension of January 2023 deadline declaration of old Naira notes as default legal tender. Three State Governors of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara had to approach the Supreme Court to stop the Federal government, Attorney General and Central Bank on the implementation of the new Naira notes policy alleging that the “ CBN is conducting a currency confiscation program that has wrought immeasurable sufferings on NIGERIANS”, yet Emefiele instigated Federal Government disobedience of Supreme Court Order to halt the program !
Thus, on June 10, 2023 when the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the suspension of Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank, as well as his prompt arrest and detention by the DSS, all expectations were that the security and enforcement agencies should have been adequately prepared for full blast prosecution of Emefiele on numerous crimes bordering on “ National Economic Sabotage” , not a melodramatic charge of unlawful possession of arms and ammunition.
Now that facts are emerging that investigation are still going on Mr. Godwin Emefiele infractions during the period he held sway as the points man of the apex bank in the country, the entire Nigerian citizens must be vigilant to swing into affirmative civic actions if there is any ploy for miscarriage of justice. We are not faced by the reports that many high temperature, We are confident that the ongoing audit of the accounts of the Central Bank which has not been done in the last Seven years would expose mind boggling, dirty, shady deals. Politically Exposed Persons are complicit in the crimes of Emefiele. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be audacious enough to garner requisite political sinew to confront this monster. There is no gain emphasizing that the gory, injurious financial mis adventures of Mr. Godwin Emefiele and unpatriotic gangs are responsible for the precarious, sordid conditions of our national economy. A lot of public funds are in the pockets of these criminals in our corridors of power. They must be fished out, if the nation is to survive.
There is no rule that a sacred cow must be slaughtered with golden knife ! In saner, democratic climes like the United States of North America, USA, former President Donald Trump was duly investigated, prosecuted and indicted, in South Africa, another former President Jacob Zuma was investigated, prosecuted and jailed..
The Nigerian poor must not only remain alert but mount vigilant guard by rising in mammoth rallies whenever Emefiele appears in court. It should be turned into a tribune of the people for his heinous crimes against citizens. President should  demonstrate absolute commitment to bring Mr. Godwin Emefiele and his felons Economic Saboteurs to Justice without minding whose Ox is gored !
Signed :-
Comrade Debo Adeniran
Convener
Omotaje Olawale Saint
Administrative Secretary
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14 Aug

NIGER COUP – MULTILATERAL DIPLOMATIC, GLOBAL SHUTTLES, IMPERATIVE FOR CONTINENTAL AFRICA SURVIVAL 

“No Permanent Friends or, Foes in International Relations. Only Permanent Interest”
On June 6th , 2023, the Commander of Presidential Guard of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Omar Tchiani led a military take over of the reins of government from the hands of democratically elected President Mohamad Bazouim. This would be the sixth coup d’état in the West Africa sub region; coming on the heels of miliary regimes in Mali since August 2020, Chad – April 2021, Guinea – September 2021, Sudan – October 2021, and Bukina Fasso – January 2022. The sub continental body, Economic Community of West African States led by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued an ultimatum which lapse on 6th August 2023 for the usurper military junta to restore democratically President Bazouim back in power.
The Nigerien military putsch has put the coup – vulnerable West Africa sub region under spotlight, sparking off rows of salient heated issues on democracy, good governance, regional security, and influence of foreign powers not only in the sub region but continental Africa. The Nigerian Government sent a diplomatic envoy led by former military Head of State, Rtd. Gen. Abubarkar Abdulsallam and the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate, Abubarkar Saadu to consult with the Head of Niger coupist on restoration of the overthrown Bazouim democratic government. This mission was, however, dead on arrival. As many persons clamour for military intervention, neighbouring West African States like Mali, Senegal, and other States in the continent vowed to align with the new Niger junta to defend its territories against any aggression.
 The contending concerns revolve round the questions of Sovereignty, Democracy, Control of Natural Resources and Power – Play by Foreign Interests.
The tragedy of the emerging scenarios is that the interests of Africa and its peoples are not given true and thorough interrogations in finding panacea to the dooming sceptre of military interregnums in the continent. What is necessary is, multilateral relations, diplomatic solution that will address fundamental interests of Nigeriens, the Sub Region and Africa, survival, and freedom from the manacles of Foreign Powers’ exploitation of our natural resources and domination of African people.
 A critical overview of the African landscape will reveal a continent blessed with abundant natural resources which the entire globe is scrambling to exploit and control at the detrimental expense of Africa and its people. The Map of Africa Natural Resources reveal huge deposits of Gold in South Africa, Mali, and Ghana; Diamonds in Botswana and Congo D.R; Crude Oil in Nigeria, Libya; and Uranium in NIGER REPUBLIC. The scramble for exclusive exploitation of Uranium by its former colonial power, France and Transnational Corporations is the main causative factor for the escalation of instabilities in Niger Republic.
The Western Power bloc, queuing behind France is routing for Tchiani and his comrades in arms to go back to the barracks and restore democratic government of Bazouim, without ruling out the option enforcement of their position by military options. Another global power bloc keenly interested in positioning itself in the running of affairs are raising the platitudes of ‘Territorial sovereignty’. This block is largely supported by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa ( BRICS ) group and their Transnational Corporations’ fronts.
The ” National Observatory”, a civic engagement platform to interrogate policy options as they affect citizens’ welfare and wellbeing holds audacious views that the global community is either too compromisingly docile or, not adequately sensitise to perceive the grimy portraits of the emerging scenarios in the Niger Republic’s Military Coup d’état versus Democracy crisis rupturing the sub – region, if not entire African continent. Guided by Frantz Fanon admonitions that ; ‘ Every Onlooker is Either a Coward or, A Traitor’…… or both, we critically observe and proffer heuristic panaceas as follows :-
ECOWAS and Nigeria should be extremely cautious in considering options for amicable resolutions so as not inadvertently be drawn into a proxy war situation of Foreign Powers. One of these power mongers in the African continent, a Russian head of a Corporation Mercenary Armed Enforcer, “Wagner Group,” Yevgeny Prigozhin, succinctly captured the essence of the crisis in Niger when he analyzed how Niger’ Uranium is being buccaneer :-
“ French company that extracted uranium sold it on the market for $218, while paying Niger only $11 for it. You can work with investors on a 50-50 or 30-70 (%) basis, but it’s impossible to give back to the indigenous people of the country, who were born in this country, who live in this country, and who expect that the natural resources of this country belong to them, and according to the Constitution, they belong to them, only 5% of the wealth you receive. ”
If the situation in Niger is not properly macro -managed, global economic vultures and vampires will inevitably stop hovering but permanently perch to feast on carcasses in Niger and the sub region. As things are, the region is presently precariously bedevilled by incursions of multiple layers of armed, terrorist groups and battling with economies in acute, compounded recession, it is on the brink of collapse in real terms and cannot risk any social upheavals.
The National Observatory urged the Nigerian Government, ECOWAS to reflect deeply on the permanent interests of their citizens, survival of the African people, the sub region and continent in finding solutions to the threats of anti -democratic, marauding forces in the continent.
 Genuine Peoples’ Democracy remains a better path to development over any Military Regime – be it Benevolence or Autocratic. However, democracy must necessarily deliver on good governance and assure prosperity for the citizens if it must be defended.
 Global Peace institutions like the United Nations, the African Union should convene a multilateral platform to address the renew surge of undemocratic take over of government in the sub region. In handling the Niger coup debacle, it should be treated as a Bull in a China wares shop!
#. Say NO to foreign powers despoliation of African continent.
#. Join the people’s movement to entrench Democracy, Constitutionalism, Rule of -Law and Good Governance in Africa today.
#. Democratic Governance is for minimal condition for sustainable development of African continent.
#. People’s Democracy is the path to Recovery of our Collective Humanity.
#. There is nothing like ‘’ Benevolence Despotism ’’. It ends up traumatising citizens.
Signed For NATIONAL OBSERVATORY ;-
DEBO ADENIRAN – President
OMOTAJE OLAWALE SAINT – Admin Secretary
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