The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Tuesday December 20, 2022, failed to appear before the House of Representatives to explain the rationale behind the redesigning of some currency notes and introduction of cash withdrawal limits.
The House had last week issued a summon for Emefiele to appear for the briefing on Tuesday, but Speaker Femi Gabajabiamila rather read another letter from the apex bank, explaining that he was outside the country.
“I think it is important I communicate back to the House, a couple of days ago, the House resolved through a resolution, and compliance with the Central Bank and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to invite the Central Bank Governor to brief us last Thursday on the new policy, both the redesigning of the naira and the new cash policy.
“He was supposed to come last Thursday but he wrote to the House, stating that he was unavoidably absent. He was in the United States on official visit with Mr. President and the House write back to give him another date since he was on official assignment with Mr. President, and that other date is today, Tuesday 10am, and Monday, I received a letter from the Central Bank, or rather the Clerk received the letter which I have with me, it wasn’t addressed to me. It was addressed to the Clerk since he was the one that wrote the invitation for the briefing,” he said.
The letter as read out by the speaker stated in part that: “Regrettably, the governor is unavailable to brief the House at this time because he had other pre-scheduled engagements he is attending to abroad. Accordingly, he has respectfully requested that we convey his inability to honour the rescheduled invitation.”
The letter added that he would contact the House when back to the country.
Reacting to the development, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi from Plateau state, said: “First thing first, I am not to comment about the policy, I need to comment on your powers and my powers, and the need to respect the Nigerian people. The crafters of the Nigerian Constitution did not make error to create the House of Representatives, to call public office holders to account for their activities on behalf of Nigerians.
“I think it is quite important to let such public office holders know that it is not Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila that is summoning the CBN governor, or Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, or the deputy speaker or any other member. It is the collective will of the Nigerian people that is inviting the CBN governor to come and explain some of the policies.”
