On Sunday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio remarked that the Bola Tinubu administration was burdened with an economic quagmire left behind by former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, leaving authorities puzzled about the appropriate charges to pursue against him.
Addressing attendees at Senator Barinada Mpigi’s Thanksgiving service in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State, Akpabio asserted that the economic condition inherited from Emefiele was nothing short of “terrible.”
‘We did not even know what to charge him with – whether for putting foam on top of the bill, illegal firearm possession, printing notes without income. I don’t know what we are going to charge him with,’ Akpabio said.
The Senate President reiterated that past policies were responsible for the current economic woes and widespread hunger.
‘But what we can say is that yes there is hunger today because of the policies and actions that they took, and we recognise that, and I think every political party should recognise that there is hunger, and we are battling to ensure that Nigerians sleep with their eyes closed,’ he stated.
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While assuring Nigerians of efforts to bolster security and elevate living conditions, Akpabio appealed for patience, acknowledging that decades of neglect cannot be rectified overnight.
‘Yes, there is insecurity; we are battling to ensure that Nigerians can take three square meals a day. But be rest assured that we campaigned for this job; we campaigned around the country; we will not let you down; we will get to the bottom of it; all we need is your patience.’
‘That rots that have happened in Nigeria for so many years for almost 60 years—cannot be solved in six months,’ he emphasised.
Emefiele finds himself embroiled in accusations of financial crimes by the Federal Government subsequent to his dismissal from the CBN governorship by Tinubu in June 2023.
The Federal Government made revisions to the criminal charges against the former CBN governor on January 18.
The number of counts was increased from six to a total of 20.
The amendment included accusations against Emefiele for criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to conduct forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Amidst ongoing endeavors, the Senate President affirmed the government’s resolve to address economic issues and steer the country towards progress.