If there is a political culture that is traditionally exhibited from one political dispensation to another, and replete in Nigeria’s political history, it is unarguably that of leaders in a new government blaming their predecessors for virtually everything that went wrong.
For instance, throughout the period former President Muhammadu Buhari spent in Aso Rock as Nigeria’s President, his predecessor, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, was blamed for being the cause of virtually everything that went wrong. In fact, Jonathan and his campaign team had a hard-hitting campaign of calumny from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential election campaign as the leadership of the APC, through its spokesperson, Lai Mohammed tagged Jonathan’s regime as clueless and made other derogatory remarks to de- market him before the voting public. It was so bad that not a few supporters of the APC blamed Jonathan for everything that went wrong under Buhari’s administration, even when it was obvious that he wasn’t the one that caused the unprecedented gross ineptitude and stark cluelessness that characterized the then APC-led administration for the whole of 8 years the government lasted in power.
In fact, despite being in government for close to 8 years, Nigeria’s federal government in March 2022, through the former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for being the architect of the country’s economic hardship as the government alleged that the mismanagement of national resources by the opposition party at a time the economy was buoyant laid the foundation for the current woes. The former Minister made the accusation at a no-holds-barred press briefing in Abuja.
In fact, Mohammed wasn’t the only one that calumniated Jonathan for no reason. Virtually everyone that supported the APC, or showed sympathy for the party passed the bulk to Jonathan, and all members of his cabinet, and every other person that played active role under Jonathan-led administration. They were daily lambasted for being the architect of the country’s economic hardship. They alleged that the mismanagement of the national resources by the opposition party at a time the economy was buoyant laid the foundation for the current woes.
More ridiculous or rather of more blame game was in 2015 when the then Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, claimed that the previous government of President Goodluck Jonathan was responsible for the five-month delay by President Muhammadu Buhari in appointing his ministers. No doubt, his allegation was dismissed with mere wave of the hands by not a few Nigerians as it was considered to be incredible and preposterous.
Unfortunately, despite the persistent campaign of calumny that was carried against Jonathan-led government, the Buhari-led government ended as being “unarguably more clueless”; if the foregoing phrasal adjective is apt to use in this context, than that of Jonathan’s.
Ostensibly toeing similar trajectory of blame-game, there has been much backlash against the former Governor the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele of recent for allegedly mismanaging the apex bank, specifically in the aspects of crass devaluation of the Naira, and its scarcity across banking halls, ATMs and POS Shops; even when he has been suspended from the CBN since the incumbent President came to power.
Well, to understand what is happening, let us make reference to what the Senior Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as the Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said on a particular Sunday in August 2023 concerning the plight of Emefiele. He warned the Federal Government against making the suspended Governor of the CBN a scapegoat for his monetary policy decisions.
He warned that even though Emefiele may have made wrong judgments in the management of Nigeria’s monetary policy, he must not be made to bear the consequences alone, and added that considering the provisions of the CBN Act 2007, that there is every possibility that the erstwhile CBN governor did not act without presidential authorization. Bakare stated these during a State of the Nation broadcast on a Sunday addressing recent happenings in the country.
He said, many senior government officials, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and some governors in the APC, have in the build up to the last general election faulted some of the monetary policies of the apex bank under Emefiele particularly the naira redesign policy.
He added that Tinubu had, shortly after taking over as President, suspended Emefiele from office, even as the action was explained away that it was sequel to the investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.
At this juncture, it is expedient to opine that the foregoing reference point could not have been necessary but for the fact that months after Emefiele has been suspended from office, and therefore, not being part of the management of the apex bank, he is still been blamed for everything that went wrong in the management of the CBN. A case in point in this context is that on Thursday, December 14, 2023, the incumbent Governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso, laid the blame for the ongoing naira scarcity in some parts of the country squarely on the shoulders of his predecessor, Godwin Emefiele. If I may ask, “After packing into a new apartment for close to one year, is it still appropriate to be blaming the former tenant for a burst pipe?”
Surprisingly, exactly a week after the foregoing allegation was made, the CBN cautioned Deposit Money Banks and POS operators against hoarding banknotes as the Naira scarcity persists a few days before Christmas celebration.
The apex bank’s acting director of Corporate Communications, Sidi Ali, made this known in a statement, alleging that there is a collusion between some Deposit Money Banks and POS operators, affecting cash availability and disrupting the Naira’s seamless circulation.
Against the backdrop of the foregoing allegation, the CBN said it has commenced investigation on the matter, warning banks and POS operators to desist from such acts or face sanction.
Without doubt, the CBN’s reactions came as public outrage continued to mount over the scarcity of Naira notes, while POS operators cash on the opportunity to do brisk business.
It will be recalled that the CBN has also advised Nigerians to use alternative payment platforms and channel their complaints through a digital platform provided in the statement.
“The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn to alleged collusion between some Deposit Money Banks and Point-Of-Sale operators affecting the availability of cash and disrupting the seamless circulation of the Naira.
“The CBN frowns at such inappropriate actions by certain individuals and is investigating the reported cases capable of undermining the smooth running of the economy.
“The CBN has, therefore, warned banks and PoS operators to desist from such activities as relevant sanctions shall be meted out to those found wanting.
“Meanwhile, members of the public are encouraged to use alternative payment channels as well as report any case of unauthorized activities, such as capping and hoarding, by banks or PoS agents to the CBN branch in their locations or via the link attached to address complaints and inquiries on the subject”, the CBN stated.
To my view, rather than resorting to blame game, the leadership of the CBN should put more efforts in solving the challenges they are faced with since Emefiele was suspended. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as blaming him can never address the challenge, and more so blaming him for everything that is wrong resonates in political witch hunting and scapegoatism.
For God sake! Emefiele is not a push over when it comes to banking. In fact, in the stead of resorting to blame game, Cardoso should demonstrate the capacity to stabilizing Nigeria’s economy, and leave Emefiele alone as he has been castigated, tortured and humiliated enough. Emefiele isn’t the only one that held key position under Buhari-led administration and reported back to him on policies and issues that needed the former president’s attention or assent. The now Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum company limited (NNPC limited) and his likes did.
