Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, left the country’s economy in a mess.
Akpabio stated this on Sunday during a thanksgiving service by Senator Barinada Mpigi in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said that the current economic woes bedeviling the country were caused by policies initiated out by Emefiele, adding that the government does not know what crime to charge him with.
“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.
According to him, the current economic crunch and hunger were due to past policies.
“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.
The Senate President, who appealed for patience, arguing that decades of rot could not be solved in months, also assured Nigerians of efforts to improve security and living standards.
“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.
Arogidigba Global Journal reports that Emefiele is facing accusations from the Federal Government related to financial crimes after Tinubu removed him from his position as CBN governor in June 2023.
The criminal charges against the former governor of CBN were revised by the Federal Government on January 18, 2024.
The six counts were expanded to 20 counts.
The former CBN boss was accused of criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to conduct forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony, in the amended charges.