Weak currency: Groups make U-turn on call for CBN gov’s sack, apologise

Two groups, the Arewa Youth Assembly, AYA, and Nigeria Citizen Action Group, NCAG, which had earlier called for the sack of Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, based on the dwindling and free fall of naira in relations with other currencies, especially dollars, have recanted and apologised to the CBN boss.

The groups, which made this known at a joint press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, through the Executive Director, NCAD, Engr. Salahudeen Lukman, Speaker, AYA, Hon. Saliu Danlami, and the Convener, NCAG, Comrade Isa Abubakar, explained that their earlier position was not politically intended.

“In as much as we wish to empirically establish the fact that our action was never born out of political or personal influence rift respectively nor sponsored by any individuals or groups neither do we acted under any regional sentiment of any form.

“We have made the call out of genuine concern for wellbeing of Nigerians and success of president Muhammadu Buhari administration considering the current state of economy Viz a Viz inflation and Naira Exchange Rate.

“It is so unfortunate that enemy of our nation’s progress have continue to misinterpreted our action, twisted our motive and almost politicized the matter to the extent of degenerating the act to cause embarrassment to personality of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of CBN and President Muhammadu Buhari which is completely out of our mission and objective of the action from inception.

“On the above premises, to reaffirm our sincerity of purpose, apolitical independence, objectivity of our organization and zero regional sentiment, we hereby withdraw our call for sack and resignation of Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as well as apologize to the duo personalities; Mr. Godwin Emefiele and President Buhari for the embarrassment this sole patriotic act must have caused,” they stated.

They said to appreciate intervention of the security apparatus, most importantly the Nigeria police force and Department of State Service for their roles in breaking this truce to douse tension earlier generated on the matter.

Continuing, the groups said: “Just as we have convened our area of concern on the state of Nigerian economy along side recommendation and solution to address express fall of naira value, we remain optimistic that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Mr. Godwin Emefiele shall use his wealth of experience to look critically into our observation and recommend to rejig the economy while pledging our continue support and solidary to the apex bank to deliver her core mandate and objective to Nigeria.”