2023 Presidential Race: Plot To Draft Emefiele Thickens

Spirited efforts are being made by top shots of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including some officials in the Presidency, to draft Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele into the presidential race ahead of the 2023 elections.

 Appointed in 2014, Emefiele, who hails from Delta State, was reappointed in 2019 for a second term of five years by President Muhammadu Buhari. The second tenure of the Delta-born economist will lapse in 2024.

Credible sources told this newspaper that the CBN governor is being wooed by a section of the Presidency and some APC governors to throw his hat in the ring.

First appointed as CBN governor under then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Emefiele is not known to be a card-carrying member of any political party.

 However, it was gathered that some APC chieftains are pushing the CBN governor to join the race. To them, if given the ticket of the party, Emefiele’s candidature will resonate across the country.

 If he joins the race, he will have to battle for the ticket with the national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and possibly Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is yet to declare.

One of the sources close to the corridors of power in Abuja said Emefiele might likely be chosen if at the end of the day the permutations for the 2023 presidential race favoured the South.

“The man has endeared himself to those close to President Buhari, including among the inner caucus.

 “In fact, this is basically why his tenure as CBN governor was renewed even though he was first appointed by the previous administration. He knows how to play his game well as head of the apex financial institution as well as a politician,” the source said.

 Another source said top northern captains of industry are also amenable to him.

 “I don’t want to call names but Emefiele has the backing of top businessmen because he gave them all the support they need. Thousands of Small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) have also benefitted from the at least 37 different interventions by the CBN,” he said.

 It was further gathered that serving governors who are close to the president have been packaging the apex bank czar before the president.

 “A meeting between the governors, Emefiele and President Buhari held in Daura during the Eid el-Kabir, last year, was part of the packaging,” the source also said.

 Recall that the chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, had led other APC governors to felicitate with President Buhari on the occasion of the Eid el-Kabir celebration at his country home in Daura, Katsina State.

Another source said Emefiele enjoyed the overwhelming affection of the president because of his bold economic policy drive that led to the swift recovery from the recession of the country.

The source said the bank czar’s initiative also came to the rescue during the 2020 COVID-19 global lockdown as he mobilised resources from the bank and the private sector to uphold the economy. According to the source, “You can understand why the president makes time to personally attend major events by Emefiele.

“The president personally launched the eNaira. He was at the rice pyramid just recently. He was in Kebbi to flag off the Anchor Borrower Programme, amongst several other engagements.”

 He further argued that the call by some Nigerians for the next president to be someone with a good measure of economic background or an understanding of the economy puts Emefiele in good standing for the 2023 presidential race.

 But a lawmaker who spoke to Daily Trust last night said those pushing the CBN governor were doing that for their selfish interests.

 “They are doing this because of their interest and it will not fly because you cannot exonerate him from the poor management of the country’s economy. Don’t be deceived,” he said.

Source: Daily Trust

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