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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate resignation and prosecution of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for allegedly ”condoning the looting of the nation’s wealth”.

In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the opposition party said it was calling for Mr Emefiele’s resignation on the strength of a recent statement allegedly made by the APC Interim National Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe.

It said Mr Akpanudoedehe revealed on national television that the CBN governor was supervising the stealing of money from the bank.

“Our party calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately invite Emefiele for questioning over allegations by the National Secretary of the illegal APC National Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpan Udoedehe, that the CBN governor supervised over the
pillaging of the nation’s vaults under his watch,” the statement by the PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said

“Nigerians were shocked when Senator Akpanudoedehe, on Channels TV programme “Politics Today” of Wednesday, September 15, 2021, revealed that the CBN governor supervised over the stealing of money in the apex bank, a development for which he must be investigated by the EFCC and if found ound wanting, prosecuted.

“We have waited for a week for Senator Akpanudoedehe to recant on his statement or for Emefiele to repudiate the APC National Secretary.

“Our party insists that beyond Akpanudoedehe’s allegation, the tenure of Emefiele as CBN governor under the APC administration has witnessed colossal failures of monetary and fiscal policies, requiring him to vacate the office and hand himself over for investigation.”

The opposition party noted that when Mr Emefiele took office as CBN Governor in 2014, the naira exchanged for N164 to a dollar, adding that “Today, in the hands of Emefiele and the APC, the naira has tumbled to near N600 to a dollar, putting the nation’s economy on its knees.”

The PDP added, “Painfully, under the leadership of Emefiele, the CBN has failed in its core mandate of managing the economy and took a dive into propaganda, with claims that do not reflect the harsh economic reality on the ground.

“The PDP therefore urges the EFCC not to allow this revelation to be swept under the carpet as it borders on serious economic sabotage which sanctions are clearly spelt out under our laws.”

But responding, the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the call to remove Mr Emefiele.

The ruling party also said its interim secretary was deliberately misquoted to discredit the current administration.

“Our attention has been drawn to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delusional call for the resignation of Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over phantom allegations.

“PDP has based its call on a deliberate misrepresentation of a recent television programme interview I granted.

“A look at the PDP statement shows that the writer for apparently mischievous reasons did not quote verbatim, the porported statement.

“The recordings of my recent television programme reaction to the massive stealing perpetuated by previous PDP governments are publicly available. No where was Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor accused of any wrongdoing as being mischievously misrepresented by the PDP,” Mr Akpanudoedehe said.

The secretary said as stated in the television interview, “the APC is not in the habit of joining issues with a sinking PDP which has lost its credibility.”

He sated further, “As a failed opposition party, PDP’s current delusions is apparently a result of its leadership crisis, lost electoral value and general failure in the eyes of Nigerians.

“Nigerians are still waiting for PDP’s honest apology to Nigerians for its mindless pillage of our national resources, abuse of public institutions and the diversion of procured loans to fund its political activities and line the pockets of its cronies and family members.”