Northern youths call for Keyamo, Cardoso's heads over CBN, FAAN relocation

Nurudeen Shotayo 19:00 - 26 January 2024

The youths commended the Northern caucus of the Senate for rising against the proposed relocation of FAAN headquarters and CBN departments to Lagos.

Northern youths, under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations (JACNYA), have called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the relocation of offices under their tutelage.

The decision of the CBN to move some departments out of its Abuja headquarters to Lagos and the planned relocation of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from the capital city to Lagos have met strong resistance from certain quarters most especially interest groups from the northern part of the country.

Among groups who have opposed the moves are Northern caucus in the Senate who warned that the decisions will have serious political consequences for President Tinubu if they're allowed to stand.

In its reaction via a communiqué on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the group commended the lawmakers for rising against the planned relocations. Still, it urged them to press for the sack of the President's appointees.

Signed by its convener, Murtala Abubakar; Director of Public Communication and Strategy, Hashim Tom Maiyashi; and Director of Gender Mobilization, Latifa Abdussalam, the statement cautioned against suing the President to rescind the decisions but asked that lawmakers to set a deadline for the president to stop the relocation.

“Given the magnitude of the decisions by the CBN and FAAN that demonstrate the unsuitability of their chief executives to preside over federal institutions, we urge our representatives to demand the immediate removal of the Governor of the CBN and the Minister of Aviation from their positions.

“This is not a punitive measure but an urgent step to restore public trust, ensure accountability, and uphold the constitutional integrity of key institutions that significantly influence our nation’s economic and administrative landscape,” the statement partly read.

JACNYA added that any decision that impacts the country's economic and administrative landscape must be made with competence, transparency and adherence to constitutional principles.

“We call on our representatives in the National Assembly to exercise their full legislative oversight functions. We urge them to set a definite deadline for the executive to rescind the decisions related to the relocation of CBN departments and FAAN headquarters as well as to take proactive corrective measures," it added.