The Presidency has refuted any knowledge of the alleged study leave granted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
According to reports, Emefiele was purportedly seeking an opportunity to leave the country before the May 29 inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who had accused him of sabotage.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, clarified this in response to a media report suggesting that Emefiele would be going on study leave before May 29.
Sahara Reporters claimed that the President granted the apex bank governor leave to facilitate his departure from the country ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The report further alleged that Emefiele aimed to leave the country before the end of Buhari’s tenure to evade potential arrest by security agencies due to corruption and terrorism financing allegations against him.
When questioned about the matter by Daily Trust, the presidential spokesperson reaffirmed his earlier response.
Shehu had previously informed a national newspaper on Saturday, May 13, 2023, stating, “If the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been granted study leave supposedly by President Muhammadu Buhari, this is unknown to us. It is also unknown to the President’s secretariat headed by the Chief of Staff.”
It is worth recalling that Emefiele attempted to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, and his failure to do so is believed to have motivated his introduction of the naira redesign and cashless policy, which was perceived as an act of sabotage against the ruling party.
Tinubu echoed similar sentiments, accusing the CBN governor of trying to undermine his presidential aspirations.
