The suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, has taken legal action against the Federal Government, seeking relief from prosecution related to alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Emefiele has also called for a halt to any further legal action against him on various charges. This development comes as the suspended governor claims that the Federal Government has defied court orders by pursuing his prosecution.
In a recent application submitted to the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos, Emefiele, represented by his legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu, has made several requests.
Firstly, he is urging the court to cease all ongoing proceedings concerning the charges against him until he has exhausted all available legal avenues to compel the government and the Department of State Services (DSS) to comply with the court's earlier order granting him bail.
The suspended CBN governor is also seeking an order discharging him of all offenses that have been brought forward by the government. Furthermore, he is requesting a specific court directive to prohibit the Federal Government from utilising any judicial indulgence until it complies fully with the bail ruling issued on July 25, 2023.
This move is seen as a strategic maneuver by Emefiele's legal team to challenge what they perceive as the government's disregard for the court's decisions.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Victor Opara, a member of Emefiele's defense team, has confirmed that the application was officially filed on August 8th and subsequently served on the Federal Government. The application aims to enforce the court's orders and maintain the court's credibility in upholding the rule of law in the country's democracy.