Victor Ezeja
AdminEmbattled former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele has reacted to claims contained in the widely-circulating report of the Special Investigator that probed his tenure at the CBN. He dismissed allegations contained therein as false, misleading and meant to assassinate his character while serving the selfish interest of the private investigator.
Prime Business Africa recalls that Jim Obazee was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on the 30th of July, 2023 to head the Special Investigation on CBN and Related Entities (Chargeable offences). After a five-month probe, the panel submitted its report to Tinubu last Wednesday where it among other allegations of maintaining unauthorized funded 593 Bank accounts located in the UK, US, and China.
The report said there was “fraudulent” use of Ways and Means advances by the apex bank during Emefiele’s tenure. It also reported that the then President Muhammadu Buhari did not approve the Naira redesign policy vigorously pursued by Emefiele, as required by Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007.
Obazee further alleged fraudulent cash withdrawal of $6.23 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vault under a purported approval of the president to pay foreign election observers.
Responding in a statement issued on Sunday with the title: “Re; Emefiele, other stole billions, illegally kept Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks”, the former CBN Governor pointed out that some of the issues raised in the report are barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda.
While asserting that the Naira redesign programme was approved by Buhari, he disclosed that the presidential approval for the same was handed to Obazee in front of senior CBN officials and members of the Private Investigator’s team when they visited him at the Kuje correctional centre.
In the words of Emefiele: “After my release on bail from the correctional centre, Kuje, my attention was drawn to publications released by the Punch Newspaper and Premium Times online news platforms.
“The sources of the information published by both media houses were credited to a certain report prepared by Mr. Jim Obazee, who was appointed by the President as a private investigator.
“I have gone through the publications, and I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and to serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.
“Because of my present situation, I have been advised by my lawyers not to say anything in respect of the matters which have been submitted to the court for adjudication. However, I need to address some of the issues raised in the publication which are barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda.
“First, it was reported that, contrary to the provision of the CBN Act 2007, there was no presidential approval for the Naira redesign. I wish to state unequivocally that there was indeed a presidential approval, and the said approval was handed over to the same Jim Obazee during the process of his investigation in the presence of senior CBN officials and his own investigative team.
“Moreover, the former President Muhammadu Buhari has stated on a number of occasions that he authorised and approved the Naira redesign. I am therefore at a loss as to why Mr. Jim Obazee will mislead Nigerians that there was no presidential approval.
“The report also claimed that the sum of $6.23 million was withdrawn from the CBN vault based on a false presidential directive bearing the signature of the former President Buhari and that of the former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.
“About two weeks ago, Jim Obazee in company of a certain Deputy Commissioner of Police from Force CID came to Kuje to ask me questions in respect of the said document in the presence of my lawyers.
“I stated verbally and in writing that I have no knowledge of such directive from the former president and the former SGF. In fact, I told them that was the first time I would be seeing the documents. On this, I challenge Jim Obazee to publish the said documents and also the statements that I made to them.
“The final issue that I will like to respond to is the issue of the 593 accounts which were purportedly opened in different parts of the world. I state categorically that I am not involved in the opening of these accounts and I do not have knowledge of their openings. The fixed deposits in those foreign accounts are definitely outside my knowledge.
“However, let me state clearly, that the relevant departments of the CBN have the authority to carry out such activities in line with their lawful mandate within the CBN.
“I therefore join well-meaning Nigerians who have spoken on this matter and have demanded a thorough and transparent investigation of all these alleged frauds. Meanwhile, I have instructed my lawyers to immediately commence legal process to clear my name from the defamatory statements contained in the report and by extension the publications.”
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