Unprecedented: CBN Governor, Emefiele Joins Presidential Race, Picks APC Nomination Form

By Ayodele Oni

Speculation is that Emefiele, from Delta State, is being prepared to eventually become Senate President Lawan’s running mate

In  an unprecedented situation in Nigeria, or any other country in the world, civilised or uncivilised, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Friday picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while still in office as CBN Governor.

By picking the forms, Emefiele has confirmed months of speculations that he would run in 2023.

Report from Abuja indicate that Emefiele picked his form at the office of Party’s  Organising Secretary, at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.

The CBN Governor has been rumoured, without any confirmation, to be in the race for the APC ticket to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari since late 2021.

Apart from his posters which have adorned strategic places within Abuja and other parts of the country, there are several branded vehicles displaying his pictures.

Emefiele has not refuted or confirmed the reports, but said he was focusing on supporting the government’s efforts to strengthen the Nigerian economy.

In a veiled reference to the ongoing campaign by Friends of Godwin Emefiele, a political group,  urging him to give the Presidency a shot, and other associations mounting pressure on him, Emefiele in March, 2022, said he is more interested in helping President Muhammadu Buhari finish well.

In a tweet early early this year, the CBN Governor declared that “My focus at this time is a robust monetary policy and fighting inflation, which is now a global problem; building a strong financial system in an increasingly uncertain global economy.

“Development finance and supporting farmers and manufacturers in our self-sufficiency and import substitution drive, raising N15 trillion for InfraCo infrastructure financing, building a world-class International Financial Centre in Lagos, as well as support the @MBuhari administration to finish strong.”

Nobody knows when Emefiele registered as an APC member, but the consensus among many people is that it is unethical; that the Governor of the Central Bank should be apolitical.

A couple of weeks ago, there were strong hints that Emefiele had been asked to stop all his campaign plans and pull down all posters and withdraw all vehicles connected to the Presidential election.

But that now seems a ploy to divert attention from him.

A source told this magazine that Emefiele would eventually be a running mate to Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan who, is expected to pick his form before the last date for that.

Lawan’s would-be-entry into the race has been interpreted as a ploy by the by the North to deny the South of the 2023 Presidency. Until now, the understanding was that the APC had zoned its Presidential ticket to the South.

Senator Lawan, urbane, pleasant and cosmopolitan is from Yobe State.

Emefiele, appointed CBN Governor by President Goodluck Jonathan and reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, is from the Igbo speaking area of Delta State.