TheCable

Godwin Emefiele reportedly resigned as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in August

According to Reuters, Emefiele, who was suspended in June, tendered his resignation letter to President Bola Tinubu.

TheCable understands that he had initially submitted the letter to the Department of State Services (DSS) — but it was rejected as the law only allows him to submit it to the president.

With Emefiele’s resignation, legal concerns regarding the nomination of Yemi Cardoso as the new governor of CBN have been laid to rest.

In a statement on Friday, Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, announced Cardoso’s nomination.

The president also nominated four new deputy governors; namely Emem Nnana Usoro, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Philip Ikeazor and Bala M. Bello.

Upon confirmation by the senate, Cardoso is expected to serve for a term of five years.

EMEFIELE’S SUSPENSION AND TRIAL

On June 9, Tinubu suspended Emefiele and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate.

The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.

On July 25, he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on “illegal possession” of firearms at a federal high court in Lagos and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million.

The two-count charge was later struck out on August 17 after the federal government withdrew.

However, a fresh 20-count charge was instituted against him over an alleged conspiracy to carry out procurement fraud, among others.

The arraignment has been stalled twice and TheCable had reported that Emefiele is proposing a plea bargain agreement to which the federal government was disposed.

The agreement required Emefiele to resign as CBN governor and “disgorge” some assets.

APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF A CBN GOVERNOR

By the provisions of the law, the president cannot remove a CBN governor unilaterally.

Section 11 of the Central Bank Act 2007 specifies the conditions upon which a CBN governor can be removed from office.

Section 11(2)(f) empowers the president to terminate the appointment of a CBN governor but the “removal of the governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the senate”.

If the president cannot get two-thirds majority of the senate, another option would be to wait until the CBN governor is convicted of a criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction, per section 11(2)(b).

However, section 11(3) of the CBN Act allows the CBN governor to resign by giving at least three months’ notice in writing to the president.