The presidential election bid of Nigeria’s central bank governor portends great danger to the fragile economy of Nigeria.
This was stated by Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State while reacting to the presidential bid of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele.
Akeredolu called on Emefiele to resign his position as the CBN governor or face a sack by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Back story
- There had been calls from various interest groups for the resignation of Emefiele as the CBN Governor, following his rumoured interest in the 2023 presidential election.
- Recall that for several weeks, different interest groups in their public campaigns had urged the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to throw his hat in the ring and contest for the office of the president in 2023 general election.
- However, Emefiele in what appeared to be a response to calls for him run for the country’s presidency in 2023, maintained that his focus at that point in time was to formulate a robust monetary policy and fight inflation which is now a global problem.
- The anxiety that had greeted the rumoured bid of Emefiele to contest for the office of president in the 2023 general election was finally laid to rest when he reportedly paid the sum of N100 million for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination and expression of interest form.
- According to media reports, the forms were picked on behalf of the CBN Governor by his associates at around mid-day in Abuja, and he is expected to contest under the platform of the ruling APC.
What Governor Akeredolu is saying
Akeredolu said the announcement of Emefiele’s bid was received with palpable disbelief and shock by many Nigerians. He added that even though Emefiele has the constitutional right to belong to and participate fully in any group or association, however, “doing so as the CBN governor is brazen.”
Akeredolu said, “This act, if unchecked, timeously, portends great danger to the fragile economy of the country.
“This latest news confirms that the Governor may indeed be interested in immersing himself in the murky waters of politics like any other Nigerian with partisan interests.
“It is incontrovertible that Mr Emefiele enjoys a constitutionally protected right to belong to any group or association and participate fully, just as any Nigerian.
“It is, however, difficult to imagine that a person who occupies the exalted and sensitive office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be this brazen in actualising his ambition. There is no gain asserting the obvious.
“The combined effect of the Public Service Rules, CBN Act and the 1999 Constitution, as amended, exposes not only the oddity inherent in this brash exercise of presumed right to associate.
“It also confirms the illegality of the act should he proceed to submit the forms while occupying the seat as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“Consequently, we admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest,”
“Consequently, we admonish Mr Emefiele to leave the office, immediately, for him to pursue his interest. He cannot combine partisan politics with the very delicate assignment of his office. Should he refuse to quit, it becomes incumbent on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to remove him forthwith.
“This is a joke taken too far.”