2023 Presidency: While still CBN governor, Emefiele’s supporters campaign at APC convention

Supporters of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, thronged the APC convention on Saturday where they openly campaigned for Mr Emefiele to be elected Nigeria’s next president.

Mr Emefiele has not declared to run for the top office in 2023, but his refusal to distance himself from campaigns putting him out as an aspirant has led many to believe he is supporting them.

He has also ignored calls to resign to preserve the sanctity of his office as governor of the central bank.

At the APC convention on Saturday, dozens of supporters of Mr Emefiele sang and danced, and displayed banners bearing his image, declaring him as the best candidate.

The display did not come as a surprise as various groups have for months been campaigning for Mr Emefiele, who by law as CBN governor should be non-partisan.

In February, a PREMIUM TIMES editorial called on Mr Emefiele to resign and pursue his political ambition, if he had any, or to publicly repudiate any association with the groups clamouring for him to run for president.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday called on Mr Emefiele’s immediate resignation.

“It is only under the @OfficialAPCNg with its impunity and disregard for rules and sanctity of Institutions that campaign posters with the portrait of the CBN Governor side by side with that of the President can be condoned.

“That presupposes an endorsement of impropriety and we demand that President @MBuhari come clean on this monumental corruption of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” the main opposition party said.

The party also called for an investigation of Mr Emefiele, citing Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) act, which provides that “the governor and the deputy governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the bank, and while holding office, shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation, whether remunerated or not.”

In response, the director of communications of Emefiele Support Group (ESG), Benigna Ejimba, said Mr Emefiele had not violated any law.

According to him, the CBN governor has yet to declare for the 2023 election.

“It is quite interesting that a mere poster is generating so much noise from the opposition,” he said, according to Sun Newspaper.

“This indeed confirms to us that we are on the right part. As members of the Emefiele Support Group, we made our choice to ask for his Presidency because, in him, we see a man who has shown passion and commitment to our country’s development.

“We will not be derailed by the noise but will continue until Godwin Emefiele answers the clarion call to lead our great nation.”