By Tosin Olatokunbo
Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele says he’s yet to decide on whether to contest the Nigerian Presidency next year.
Two days ago, a support group under the aegis of Friends of Godwin Emefiele obtained the APC Presidential nomination form for him for a whopping N100 million.
Trenchant criticism has trailed the group’s decision as many Nigerians, including Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Info state and Chairman of South west APC Governors Forum calling on Emefiele to resign immediately, saying that the apex bank governor decision to join the Presidential race is “a joke taken too far”.
Akeredolu called on him to resign immediately, failure which he should be sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.
SERAP, a human rights body also called on Emefiele to be removed from office to enable him pursue his presidential quest. The group chided the CBN Governor for involving in partisan politics against the provision of the Constitution which bar pubic officials from contesting election.
In his response to the barrage of criticisms on Saturday, Emefiele said he has not filed out contesting the election, adding that he would make the decision in few days.
Emefiele said thanked those that obtained the nomination form on his behalf, but said when he decide to run for president the form will not be obtained for him by proxies.
According to him, “I am humbled by the growing interest of those asking that I run for the Office of President in the 2023 general elections: I have not come to that decision. I note and salute the sacrifices of those farmers and patriots going as far as raising personal funds and offering me Presidential Nomination Forms: I thank them most profusely.
“However, should I answer their calls and decide to seek presidential nomination, I will use my own hard-earned savings from over 35 years of banking leadership to buy my own Nomination Forms without proxies in an open and transparent manner in full compliance with the laws and Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And should I not run for elected office I will continue to serve and sacrifice for the good people of Nigeria under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is a serious decision that requires God’s divine intervention: in the next few days The Almighty will so direct.”
Meanwhile, the magazine learnt from competent sources in the Presidency that Emefiele has received the backing of close aides of Buhari to run for the highest office in the country. It, however, remains unclear whether the president will support his ambition.
