Akredolu on Emefiele: Ignorance taken too far
By: The Tochlight Africa News
L-R Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Emefiele and Governor, Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
The Convener of The Green Alliance, Barr. Wale Fapounda has come out to correct some misconceptions bandied in the public space concerning the presidential ambition of the current Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Emefiele. Regarding Dr. Emefiele’s quest to contest election, there have been very disappointing statements credited to so many people especially Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN. The statements are to the effect that Dr. Emefiele is not entitled to seek election into the office of the president while still occupying the office of the governor of the apex Bank.
One wonders where this is coming from as it seems that long absence from the practice of law has made the learned Senior Advocate grow rusty. The truth is that there is no provision of our law stopping Dr. Emefiele from seeking election into the office of the president while in office, provided he has not been disqualified by Section 137 of the 1999 CFRN as amended. Rather, the constitution has more than enough enabled him to do so in the exercise of his constitutional rights. A lot of these ignorance stems from the deliberate misinterpretation of Section 9 of the CBN Act, Trek Africa Newspaper gathered.
Barr. Fapounda noted: ‘Section 9 of the CBN Act provides thus: “The Governor and the Deputy Governor shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal and charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full time duties…”
‘Clearly from the above provision, the CBN Governor or Deputy Governor cannot be involved in any other employment or vocation while in office. So how do we define employment or vocation? In Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria vs Federal Board of Inland Revenue 1996 8 NWLR Part 466 256, the Supreme Court held that where the words of a statute are plain, precise and unambiguous, then it should be given the ordinary and natural meaning.’
What then is the natural and ordinary meaning of the word employment? And what is the natural and ordinary meaning of the word vocation? Employment means “the state of having paid work”. While vocation means ” a person’s employment or main occupation”.
Based on these definitions above, can it then be said that seeking election into the office of the president of Nigeria is an employment or vocation? The answer must surely be in the negative. Anything other than that will be the most artificial interpretation to suit a sinister purpose.
‘Moreso, the constitution is clear on rights of association, and rights to seek elective positions. And there is no impediment whatsoever on the exercise of such rights except such impediments are contained in the constitution. Contesting for the position of the president is an exercise of constitutional rights, and not an engagement in any employment or vocation,’ the legal luminary told Trek Africa Newspaper.
In conclusion, just as there is no law stopping Governor Akeredolu from appointing his son into sensitive government position in Ondo State when there are numerous other competent people in the state to man such position, there is no law stopping Dr. Emefiele to contest for the office of the president while still in office as the CBN governor.
