Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday refused the request for an order by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Godwin Emefiele, to stop the restraining order against his resignation.
An order was in suited against him, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation AGF against his Presidential ambition.
The Network gathered that Emefiele 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.
During an ex-parte application argument on Monday, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a Public servant not caught 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 the fears that sale and submission of Presidential nomination form would expire on Wednesday adding that unless the INEC and AGF are ordered to maintain status ‘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.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed turned down the request for the order and instead, 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.
