New naira note: Godwin Emefiele’s plan against APC after failing to contest
By Comrade Ejeye Jolomi
As of recently, towards the end of January 2023, Nigeria’s political Climate has been characterized by civil unrest, protests in some parts of the country, and viral videos of a large crowd of people at banks expressing their anger and displeasure over the CBN’s New Naira Notes Swap Policy.
Discoveries show that a Wema Bank branch in Ibadan, Oyo State, was destroyed and vandalized when a riot broke out; an anonymous senior staff at Sterling bank claimed some of the bank’s branches in the Lekki area of Lagos State were shut down on February 7, 2023, some Sterling Bank Managers were also arrested by members of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Zenith Bank also closed down their bank branches in Agege, Ikorodu, and Ikeja areas of Lagos State to avert a backlash from customers who are frustrated by the massive queues and can’t access their money. There was also a clash between the Nigerian Army and students of the University of Benin on February 4, 2023; as seen in the viral video, protests are gradually building up due to the hardship in the Country caused by the scarcity of new naira notes.
The timing of this CBN New Naira Note Policy is totally wrong, and I am sure the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, didn’t explain the harmful effect the CBN monetary Policy will have on Nigerians to President Buhari.
The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has a personal vendetta against the ruling All Progressives Congress (A.P.C.) because he wasn’t allowed to contest the Party’s Presidential Primaries, where he intended to monetize the system and buy his way through during the Presidential Primaries of the All Progressives Congress held in 2022, last year.
Another theory of the current Polity of the Country indicates that the monetary policy of the CBN is Intended to deliberately cause chaos and panic as if adverse reactions are being intentionally instigated from Nigerian citizens by all means necessary by keeping them frustrated.
The CBN Governor and other enemies of Nigeria, colluding with him, want a situation where there would be Political Instability and State Disorder in a way the 2023 Presidential Elections would be scuttled with an alleged secret Conspiracy to bring in an Interim Government to restore order and calm after heating the Polity, and we must have survived the Political Crises that can emanate if the upcoming Presidential Elections are tampered with, thus subverting the will of the People.
To back up my claim, it is the same Political card that was played after the June 12, 1993 Elections won by the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) Presidential Candidate, the Military Administration of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled late M.K.O. Abiola. The same events, like protests and heavy riots, ensued at that time, Prompting the emergence of Ernest Shonekan as the Interim Head of State of Nigeria from August 26, 1993, to November 17, 1993. Interim Governments are temporary, transitional, provisional governments appointed or handpicked by the President. It should be noted that Interregnum is not backed by the 1999 Constitution as amended and is a threat to Nigeria’s Democracy.
The trick with Interim Government is that it is manipulated when an Administration leaves Power during the transition Process. The Interim Government under Ernest Shonekan lasted only a short time in Nigeria, and the events that mandated the formation and the end of Ernest Shonekan’s Tenure as Interim President were disastrous. After the implementation of that Interim Government Plan, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has remained Politically irrelevant.
To Authenticate my claim over the collaboration of the Central Bank meddling in the Politics of Nigeria, the Central Bank Governor should explain How Notorious Bandit Leader Kachalla Baleri got the new Naira notes amounting to 10 million Naira in a viral video seen on the Internet, when even Wealthy Nigerians with Legitimate businesses don’t have up to 1 million Naira of the new notes in Cash, due to the scarcity of the new naira notes and the Incompetence by the CBN in distributing the new naira notes.
It would be flagrant disregard and disobedience to the doctrine of Separation of Powers, which strengthens Democracy by ensuring Checks and Balances, If the CBN goes ahead with the deadline of the new naira notes because both the highest Court in the Country, the Supreme Court (Judiciary) and the National Assembly (Legislature), have clearly stated their Position on the New Naira notes Policy.
The Presidential and National Assembly Elections must hold on February 25, 2023, as affirmed by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
This Article is intended to create awareness of why Nigeria’s Democracy must be preserved and avert any plot to truncate our Democracy; it would not work.
It should be noted that during the June 12 Political Crisis, Tinubu endangered his life fighting for the enthronement of Democracy while Atiku Abubakar sold out to the Military Government.
Comrade Ejeye Jolomi is a Media Director National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).
National Director, Youth Mobilization, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Support Organization.