The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has vehemently refuted allegations leveled against him by Jim Obazee, the special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to scrutinize Mr Emefiele’s tenure.
Mr Obazee’s report accused Emefiele and his associates of embezzling billions of naira and engaging in various corrupt practices, particularly concerning the redesign of the Nigerian currency. The report also alleged fraudulent activities related to fixed deposit accounts amounting to 543.4 million Pounds held by Emefiele in the UK, manipulation of the Naira exchange rate, and fraudulent practices in executing the CBN’s e-Naira project.
In response, Emefiele dismissed the allegations as false, misleading, and aimed at tarnishing his reputation. His lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, confirmed the statement issued by Emefiele, denouncing the accusations.
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Regarding the contentious redesign of the Naira, Emefiele asserted that the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, had approved the policy, contradicting Obazee’s findings. He claimed that this approval was presented during the investigation in the presence of senior CBN officials.
Moreover, Emefiele denied any knowledge of a $6.23 million withdrawal based on a false presidential directive and refuted any involvement in opening 593 accounts abroad. He challenged Obazee to publish the alleged documents and statements made during the investigation to substantiate his claims.
Emefiele called for a thorough investigation into the alleged frauds and threatened legal action to clear his name from what he deemed defamatory accusations.
The conflict between Emefiele’s rebuttal and the investigator’s findings has led to a public dispute, raising questions about the accuracy of the information and the validity of the allegations against the former CBN governor.
