By Hon. Yusuf Babangida Sulaiman
It is quite visible as well as deafening loud that there is an apparent effort to either scuttle the upcoming elections or sway all odds against the interest of the ruling party’s flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Even before the most recent antics of the CBN Governor and his cohorts, there have been concrete steps to ensure that since Asiwaju was most likely going to fly the party’s flag, then pre-planned hurdles must be heaped along his path.
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In addition to the inherent uncertainty associated with an election year, no one can rationally explain acute fuel scarcity alongside the punitive currency unavailability, a combined wholesome recipe for chaos.
The CBN Governor has done enormous damage to the APC campaign, which is of course on the back of his inability to run and obtain the APC ticket.
Emefiele remaining in office as CBN Governor thereafter has seen him throw caution to the wind and drive home a policy through a damning approach causing citizens, IMF, CSOs, and State Governors to declare on top of their voices in unison that it is poorly implemented, poorly timed and has caused untold hardship countrywide.
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In the aftermath of the celebrated Supreme Court Ex Parte Ruling to allow extension of Naira Redesign Deadline beyond February 10th, a key issue of interest for citizens is availability of currency for transactions.
The CBN in its emotional valour is unlikely to re-issue the notes deposited in Banks, and Banks also having been found to make a killing from trading in monies are unlikely to gladly embrace the order and begin re-issue of the Naira, now referred to as old notes. And all of a sudden, it is highly unlikely that the redesigned notes will be made available, neither will online infrastructure of Banks be magically restored to optimal service.
This is the tiniest of the dangers of leaving Emefiele in office, as he superintends a macro economy with a judgement clouded by virile quest for political vengeance.
We politicians read schemes from very far distances; we are able to detect schemes and plots from their foundational stages. As we go into the upcoming election, Nigerians are angered by a sudden policy instituted by an APC government, stubbornly defended by a section of the government even on the back drop of an Ex Parte Injunction, know for sure that this is all in serving of self and in seeking of self interest.
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As we speak, Nigerian University Lecturers, who are billed to serve as INEC Returning Officers, from Ward to State levels are still being owed arrears of disputed salaries, sadly and unfortunately.
Also, the Presiding Officers and a high percentage of INEC Ad-Hoc staff are University Undergraduates who are still angered by the lengthy ASUU Strike of the recent past, and to whom tuition fee hike hits home a current reality.
As these issues gather the storm and rile the base across the country, we remain cautious in the striking of deep sensitivities.
We look over our shoulders and shudder at people hoping to benefit from what the dark clouds will pour.
The custody of sensitive election materials in the CBN must no longer hold since Emefiele has demonstrated electoral interest and preference as he tries to install his kinsman as Vice President under the PDP, since he has woefully lost in his own half-heartedly pursued bid, while trying to eat his cake and still have it.
The same Emefiele that assured the President Buhari, citizens of Nigeria and Banks across Nigeria that there would be sufficient supply of new Naira Notes, and was discovered to be a ruse, is now promising INEC that cash would be made available to them for elections logistics and ground operations.
This must be the last piece of the election thwarting puzzle, the point where INEC are starved of cash and are unable to execute the polls.
This is the big plot being vehemently pursued by Emefiele and his backers, such that we have a June 12 reoccurrence.
The Council of State in its wisdom must not shy away from the clear and obvious truth and advise the President to rid Nigeria of a mastermind and architect of economic, political and reputational loss in Emefiele.
He has led a project that has pushed our dance to a dangerous precipice which threatens our gains of the past 24 years and therefore must be relieved of his duties immediately.
Thereafter, the fountain of wisdom must also advise strongly that the President ends the current bout of suffering immediately, because holding elections in the current state of affairs is akin to outwardly favouring the opposition candidate.
Hon. Yusuf Babangida Sulaiman,
Member, Kano State House of Assembly(2011-Date)
Gwale Constituency.
