By Alfaki Musa
President-elect, Bola Tinubu’s spokesman in the south east, Dr. Josef Onoh, has charged the Department for State Security (DSS) to ensure Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Dr. Godwin Emefiele does not leave Nigeria for any study leave abroad.
Allegation of Emefiele’s planned study leave abroad surfaced over the weekend with many believing the CBN Governor wants to escape Nigeria before the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu on May 29.
Those making the allegations believe that the President-elect will not bend the rules in favour of Emefiele if he is sworn-in having introduced the currency redesign policy in an alleged bid to create obstacles for Tinubu during the presidential campaign.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu denied knowledge of the study leave with the CBN maintaining that since the presidency has made a statement denying knowledge of the international study, it would not make further comments on the discussion.
But Onoh said: “I’m telling the DSS that whether the study leave is true or not, it should ensure that Emefiele does not leave Nigeria. If Emefiele wants to get a study leave, we have credible universities in Nigeria that are willing to grant him admission where he can do his study leave and these universities are ready to comply with CBN regulations regarding money transfers and payment modes to the institution of his choice in order for him to process his admission and they also accept the new redesigned naira notes as form of payment for admissions fees too.
“Therefore going for a study leave abroad would not be fair to our universities in Nigeria that are willing to grant him automatic admission. We should promote our own universities and there is no need going for overseas study when we have competent universities here in Nigeria.
“The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has made education a priority and so Emefiele has nothing to fear. The incoming administration has made security, education, health as major priorities and we should all come together to work for that renewed hope. The progress test of Tinubu’s presidency’s is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, but it’s whether we provide enough to those who have too little and to that extent I assure Emefiele that the incoming president has made education a priority.
“There is no need for Emefiele to leave Nigeria, whether it is true or false about his international studies, the DSS should ensure that he does not leave Nigeria and assist him in any way he requires to secure an admission in any of our prestigious institutions.
“He is a great Ambassador and we have so many universities in Nigeria that are willing to offer him automatic admission for his studies in any course he wants. If he likes he can go to NIPSS but the DSS should ensure that Emefiele completes his study in Nigeria.
“It will be unfair for him and to Nigerians for us to export this genius with his wealth of experience overseas while we have our youth who can tap from his vast experience in the financial sector we need him to redesign their mindset from work to wealth like he did with the new currency.”
