Politics
2023: PDP Demands Emefiele’s Resignation
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to immediately resign from office following his campaign posters appearance in All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign plast forms
The party said his appearance in campaign posters ahead of the 2023 general elections “confirms his partisan affiliation and entanglement with the APC.”
The party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Friday, alleged that the appearance of the CBN boss “who by law, ought to be non-partisan and apolitical, in APC campaign material is the height of impunity of President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC regime.”
In the statement titled, ‘Campaign Posters: PDP Demands Emefiele’s Immediate Resignation, Investigation’, the PDP noted that the move by Emefiele under Buhari’s regime “amounts to poking its fingers in the eyes of Nigerians and daring them to do their worse.”
The statement reads in part, “By engaging in partisan politics to the extent of appearing in APC campaign posters, Mr Emefiele has knowingly and deliberately violated the provision of Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act
“Mr Emefiele has also desecrated the sanctity of his office as CBN governor, compromised the integrity of the apex bank, stripped it of the confidence reposed in it by Nigerians and the international community and as such, cannot legitimately continue to hold and function in that office.
“This further confirms that under Mr Emefiele, the CBN, as the custodian of our national economy, has become an appendage and cash cow of the APC in their reckless pillaging of our national resources, the resultant effect of which is now evident in the near-collapse state of our economy.
“The CBN governor must therefore resign immediately and subject himself to an investigation by anti-corruption agencies on various allegations of financial misfeasance including reportedly opening our national vaults to the cabal in the APC administration and operating a special fraudulent, corrupt and discriminatory foreign exchange regimes for APC leaders to fleece our nation.
“In addition, this further confirms allegation in the public space that the CBN had secretly released billions of naira through various petroleum sector underhand dealings to finance the APC National Convention.
“It is now crystal clear that President Buhari and the APC are not committed to providing a level playing field for free and fair general elections in 2023. As the banker of the federation, Mr Emefiele is in a position to have undue access to public funds to finance APC’s campaigns.
“Moreover, being in control of all the accounts of other Nigerians, the CBN governor is also in a position to use his office to clamp down on the finances of other contestants and stifle them of funds.
“It is only under the APC with its impunity and disregard for rules and sanctity of institutions that campaign posters with the portrait of the CBN governor side by side with that of the President can be condoned. That presupposes an endorsement of impropriety and we demand that President Buhari come clean on this monumental corruption of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“History will note President Buhari’s legacy of destroying every segment of our national life; from security to the electoral process, unity of our nation and now the sanctity of the Central Bank. Our party cautions that the consequences of this are better imagined. Now that Mr Emefiele has openly identified with the APC, he should immediately resign and face an ill-fated career in the fizzling APC.”
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.