Editorial Opinion
The Dance Of Shame Of The DSS, Its Implications On Foreign Investors
Irrespective of the many sins of the former governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, the optics coming out of the court and the subsequent bail granted him by Justice Oweibo, is not healthy for our economy.
Obviously, we can see the ‘hands of Esau, voice of Jacob’ in the suspension of Emefiele as CBN governor. President Tinubu cannot absolve himself from Emefiele’s travails, after all his travails started immediately he was suspended from his position of CBN governor, more so, the DSS directly reports to Tinubu.
For the DSS to blatantly disobey the rule of law, on the bail granted to Emefiele, by extension, the order of Justice Oweibo, on flimsy excuses of ‘order from above’, I cannot understand how we expect foreign investors to react. Foreign investors prefer a country where the rule of law is respected and obeyed. Investors perceive disobedience of court orders as a threat to their investments. Who should they turn to in the face of threats by government regulatory agencies if not the court? The ease of impunity with which the DSS disobeyed the orders of Justice Oweibo will discourage foreign investors from Nigeria.
President Tinubu must do everything under his powers to extricate himself as the ‘hand of Jacob’ in the matter of Emefiele and submit to the independence of the judiciary in the adjudication of this and other matters. The judiciary, like democracy, thrives on respect for the rule of law.