There are indications that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, may have decided to shelve his reported 2023 presidential ambition.
This is as the apex bank boss has laughed off the anxiety and criticisms by Nigerians over his alleged presidential ambition saying that they should have heart attack as he is simply having fun.
According to NAN, this was made known by a source after Emefiele met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa Abuja, where he might have updated the president on the ongoing debate about his resignation or continued stay in office.
The CBN Governor when asked about the outcome of his meeting with the president during a chat with State House correspondents said that there is no news but there will be news.
What the CBN Governor is saying
When accosted by journalists to know about his view on the anxiety created by his rumoured bid to contest in the 2023 presidential election, Emefiele said, ‘’There is no news but there will be news. I’m having fun at the scenario. Let them have heart attack. It’s good to have heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.’’
Meanwhile, NAN in its report had said that Emefiele might have informed the president of his intention to continue in office as CBN governor instead of vying for the All Progressives Congress’s presidential ticket in the 2023 general elections.
This is as the CBN Governor had finally decided to concentrate on his official job of safeguarding and transforming Nigeria’s economy.
What you should know
- Recall that on May 6, 2023, some farmers’ associations and associates, raised the sum of N100 million to purchase APC Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for Emefiele, ahead of the party’s primary on May 31.
- This has generated a lot of controversies as there have been calls from different interest groups and Nigerians for the resignation or sack of Emefiele as the CBN Governor, following his rumoured interest in the 2023 presidential election.
- Emefiele, who said that he had not decided whether to run or not, thanked ‘’farmers and patriots” for using their personal funds to secure presidential nomination forms of the APC. He, however, insisted that he will use his personal funds from his “hard-earned savings of over 35 years in banking” to pay for the forms.
- Prior to this, Emefiele had in what appeared to be a response to calls for him to 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.
- Also, the president had on Wednesday via a circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, directed members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and other political appointees with political ambition to resign.
- Emefiele is among the heads of agency and extra-ministerial departments.
