By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja.
With a two-day window available to him, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has lost an attempt in court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation AGF from being stumbling blocks to his Presidential ambition.
Unable to get the order to meet Wednesday’s date he cited as deadline for the submission of Presidential Nomination forms, it is not now clear if the CBN governor will go ahead with his ambition.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday refused to grant a restraining order he requested against the INEC and AGF.
Emefiele expressed apprehension that the sale and submission of Presidential nomination form would expire on Wednesday and that unless the INEC and AGF are ordered to maintain status quo ante bellum as at May 5 when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his form would be accepted by the appropriate authority.
The CBN governor had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome SAN, applied for an order of status quo ante bellum to be made against INEC and AGF so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general election.
In an ex-parte application argued on Monday, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a public servant not affected by section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act 2022.
The CBN governor asked the court to invoke section 318 of the 1999 Constitution to bar the defendents from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the February 2023 Presidential election.
Emefiele expressed apprehension that the sale and submission of Presidential nomination form would expire on Wednesday and that unless the INEC and AGF are ordered to maintain status quo ante bellum as at May 5 when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his form would be accepted by the appropriate authority
However in a brief ruling, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, turned down the request for the order.
Instead, the Judge ordered him to put the defendants on notice and also serve court processes on the defendants.
Justice Mohammed ordered the defendants to appear before him on May 12 and show cause on why the request should not be granted.
