Governor Matawalle called on President Buhari to revoke the leave to ensure a peaceful transition of power and urged him to be vigilant against any attempts to undermine the accomplishments of his administration. He emphasised that Emefiele must be held accountable for his tenure before leaving the country.
In his statement, Governor Matawalle said, "President Buhari and his wife Aisha Buhari have shown good faith and shown they want a seamless orderly, and peaceful transfer of power to the incoming administration. They are eager to ensure that the new regime takes off smoothly and speedily and in a manner devoid of any encumbrance in the interest of our country. This is the right thing to do, and I commend President Buhari and his wife for their statesmanly conduct."
However, the Governor expressed concern over the behaviour of other government officials who seemed intent on obstructing the incoming administration's progress. He urged President Buhari not to permit such actions and to disapprove any study leave or similar requests for officers critical to the commencement of the incoming administration led by AsÃwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Governor Matawalle insisted that if the reported leave had been approved, it should be cancelled in the interest of a peaceful transfer of power, accountability, and good governance. He criticised Emefiele's intent to proceed on study leave when he still had ten months left in his tenure, suggesting it was an attempt to evade accountability. The Governor emphasised that Emefiele must remain in his position to provide a thorough account of his actions to the incoming administration.
"I'm aware that some officers in the outgoing government are moving to surreptitiously leave the country at this critical time they are needed to answer specific questions, though I would not want to mention their names here," Governor Matawalle revealed. He warned President Buhari not to entertain their "inordinate and unpatriotic plan," stating that it was clear evidence that these officials had something to hide. He urged the President to immediately halt any plan to evade accountability, as it went against the principles of transparency and anti-corruption.
Governor Matawalle concluded his statement by affirming his commitment to a smooth and peaceful transition of power and urged President Buhari to take decisive action to ensure accountability and uphold the principles of good governance. The call for transparency and responsibility resonates as Nigeria anticipates the upcoming change in leadership.