Senator Shehu Sani, a former federal lawmaker, has urged the Federal Government to conduct an independent probe of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its suspended governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Sani, a member of the 8th Senate, in a statement on Twitter on Saturday, while reacting to Emefiele’s suspension by President Bola Tinubu, said the embattled ex-CBN governor ran the apex bank as an “Automated Teller Machine of the Cabal, a canteen and cash cow.”

President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had on Friday, in a statement by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, directed the embattled governor of the apex bank to vacate and hand over to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, with immediate effect, pending the conclusion of an investigation and the reforms of the financial sector of the country.

In his reaction, the lawmaker commended Tinubu for Emefiele’s suspension and Shonubi’s appointment.

He urged the President to ensure external auditors are contracted to probe the apex bank and Emefiele for transparency and accountability purposes.

The statement read, “The eviction of Emefiele is commendable. The appointment of Shonubi as acting governor is commendable. But the house cleaning of the CBN can only be done by engaging a team of auditors from outside of the CBN.

“Only they can professionally and thoroughly probe the apex bank and tell the country how the bank was run under Buhari’s Emefiele.

“The CBN was operated as an ATM of the Cabal, a canteen, and cash cow of the parasitic elites of the past administration”.

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor and Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has dismissed assault threats made by Ex-governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Shortly after Ganduje visited President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday evening, the ex-governor while addressing State House correspondents stated that he would have slapped Kwankwaso had they met at Aso Rock, Abuja.

Ganduje’s statement is coming following the recent demolition of several buildings in Kano State by the Abba Yusuf-led administration, a move he accused his predecessor, Kwankwaso, of masterminding.

Addressing the assault threat, Kwankwaso said Ganduje would never dare make such an attempt, adding that the former governor is his ‘boy’ politically.

Speaking to BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso said;

“I heard that he [Ganduje] said he would’ve slapped me, but I’m here. He was just confused. These are all my boys politically. They can’t even look at me straight in the face if we meet.”

Kwankwaso also disclosed plans to work with President Bola Tinubu, adding that Tinubu already offered him an appointment but they were yet to reach a definitive conclusion.

“We have discussed collaboration, however, a definitive decision is pending. After the inauguration of the National Assembly, we will determine the best course of action,” he said.

Kwankwaso also stressed he does not plan on defecting from the NNPP.

Addressing the demolition in Kano, Kwankwaso said the president was briefed and a mutual understanding was reached.

“Tinubu initiated the conversation, after which I provided a comprehensive explanation, to which Tinubu expressed surprise upon discovering that the information relayed to him was false,” he said.

“During our discussion, he (Tinubu) seemed astonished and was speechless at the information conveyed to him.

“We unequivocally prohibit any governor, irrespective of who they are, including Ganduje or Abba, from constructing on sites designated for mosques, schools, or other similar purposes. We will inform them that it is unacceptable,” Kwankwaso said.

Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has charged senators-elect to “vote wisely” when the upper legislative chamber is inaugurated next week.

The senate will elect its presiding officers for the 10th assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking during the ninth senate’s valedictory session on Saturday, Shettima told the lawmakers that the stability of the country is greater than that of their pockets.

There have been allegations that some senate president hopefuls are using money to woo senators-elect to vote for them.

Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for the position of senate president, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, and Orji Uzor Kalu, chief whip, have insisted on vying for the position.

The vice-president said the country’s interest should inform who they elect as senate president and deputy.

“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a parable, ‘the stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets’. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely, let us vote for the Nigerian nation,” he said.

The number two citizen described his colleagues as “friends who have become an integral part of my history”.

“We have served shoulder to shoulder in the face of adversity and worked relentlessly for the betterment of our nation,” he said.