Hours after reports of his dismissal surfaced online, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has confirmed that his tenure runs until the end of June 2019, dousing claims of possible early dismissal by the Federal Government.
Emefiele is unbothered about the possibility of not returning for a second term as the governor of CBN, as his tenure has achieved great strides with the intervention programmes of the CBN which has been in existence long before his appointment under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Nairametrics had reported that Emefiele still remains the Governor of the Central bank after the apex bank’s Director in charge of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor dispelled rumour of the governor’s sack.
He stated that his presence as the CBN Governor in Abuja today, March 5, 2019, shows that the claim he has been sacked is untrue, and he’s willing to continue till his tenure expires three months from March.
“At least you can see me, I am doing my work, my tenure expires in June and at least let’s continue.”
About keeping to the existing CBN intervention programme, Emefiele said only an individual not in their right mind will abandon such initiatives.
“The intervention programmes of the CBN has been on since 1978 and it has moved from one governor to another I am very optimistic that even if another governor comes, no right thinking person will abandon an initiative that is laudable and that is meant to create jobs for the good of our country.”
Genesis of sack threat
Recall Atiku Abubakar had faulted the CBN Governor on his handling of the Apex bank and policy rates, stating that the right man needs to be put in the right place. Abubakar stated that if he won the Nigerian Presidential election held on February 23, 2019, he will remove Emefiele.
But the People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate lost the election to the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari. Although, Abubakar has since rejected the election result, promising to take his case to court.
Nominees for CBN governor
If not re-appointed, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, might vacate his position for one of his deputies, Aishah Ahmad, a top banker in the country’s financial institution.
Ahmad is among eight likely candidates on queue to take over the apex bank’s top job from Emefiele. The probability of Emefiele returning is low since no CBN Governor has served two terms since Joseph Sanusi.
