CBN confirms Emefiele’s resignation

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has officially confirmed the resignation of Godwin Emefiele from his position as governor.

The spokesperson of the apex bank, Isa AbdulMumin, said that Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso on Friday formally assumed duty as the acting governor of CBN.

“Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso, recently nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has on Friday, September 22, 2023, formally assumed duty, in an acting capacity, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), pending his confirmation by the Senate,” AbdulMumin said.

“This follows the resignation of Mr. Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”

Emefiele has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 10, a day after President Tinubu suspended him from office as the CBN governor.

All the deputy governors that served under the troubled bank chief have also resigned, AbdulMumin said. They are Folashodun Shonubi, Aishah Ahmad, Edward Lametek Adamu, and Dr. Kingsley Obiora.

The CBN spokesman said the four people nominated to serve as deputy governors along Emefiele have also resumed duties in acting capacity.

“Dr. Cardoso and his colleagues subscribed to the relevant oaths of office at a brief ceremony held at the Bank’s Head Office in Abuja, on Friday, September 2023, and have since settled down to the task of administering monetary and financial sector policies of the Federal Government,” AbdulMumin said.

Meanwhile, Emefiele on August 23 allegedly opted for a plea bargain after his expected arraignment by the court stalled again.

The Federal Government (FG) had initially scheduled August 17 to arraign him and his allies for their alleged involvement in a N6.9 billion procurement fraud.

He was supposed to be arraigned alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited at the FCT High Court in Abuja.