More than 400 people have signed a petition asking the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to sack Adam Nuru, managing director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), over “unethical grounds.”
The petition, initiated on Wednesday, alleged that Nuru was responsible for the demise of Tunde Thomas, said to have died of depression on December 16.
According to the petition, the FCMB MD allegedly had an affair with Moyo Thomas, the deceased’s wife, resulting in two children.
It alleged that Moyo had informed her husband that she was leaving Nigeria for the United States with the kids only to call him upon arrival that the children do not belong to him.
The petition claimed the news initially caused Thomas to be down with a stroke but later recovered and thereafter met another lady whom he planned to marry.
Thomas was, however, said to have suffered a cardiac arrest after returning from work — about two days before his introduction to his already pregnant girlfriend.
The petition, addressed to Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, and the FCMB’s board, described the case as “an unjustifiable economic oppression by the elites against the less privileged in the society.”
It called for a holistic investigation into the matter, alleging that the MD had been trying to sweep the “unethical conduct” under the carpet.
“This is a case of gross misconduct based on ethical grounds and an unjustifiable economic oppression by the elites (Adam Nuru) against the less privileged in the society,” it read.
“The MD has been doing everything possible to sweep this case under the carpet. We implore the Central Bank of Nigeria as the apex regulator and the board of FCMB to investigate this for the integrity of the bank and Nigerian banking industry.”
But reacting on Thursday, Rafiu Mohammed, a staff, who spoke on behalf of Diran Olojo, FCMB’s spokesman, dismissed the petition as a “mere allegation”.
Mohammed told TheCable Lifestyle that it was unfortunate that people would come up with unsubstantiated claims which the deceased never raised when he was alive.
He also said the fact that Thomas had impregnated another lady and was on the verge of remarrying before his death showed that he had already moved on from what transpired during his marriage to Moyo.
“Assuming there was a DNA report that said there was indeed an affair between them and the children belong to the MD, that’s an evidence. But so far, there’s none. Also, has any evidence established his (Thomas’s) death was caused by our MD? Anyone can suffer cardiac arrest,” he said.
“It’s a mere allegation with no evidence or fact to back it up. That’s the issue. But if they come up with an evidence, we will respond. Also, the petition is going through the CBN, does the apex bank settle personal or marital issues?
“The person in question has died. When he was alive, he didn’t take up the matter himself but when he died, some people are claiming to be fighting for him.
“Based on the said petition, the deceased was about to marry another person which implied that he had also moved from what transpired during his first marriage.”
ADAPTED FROM THE CABLES
