*Will he sacrifice the record of serving three presidents as CBN governor?

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor

ARGUABLY, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dr Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele, is one of those being pressured seriously to join the 2023 presidential race.

In the last couple of weeks no fewer than seven groups have bought advert spaces in newspapers to make a case for Emefiele to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

A host of politicians are being endorsed and pressured to join the presidential race but the central banker is the only person groups have bought advert spaces in newspapers to canvas for him.

A group, Ge Campaign, on February 21 took up a 3 by 6 columns front page and full page colour advert in some national dailies asking people to join it in convincing Godwin Emefiele, Ge, to run.

At 60 with food security, financial inclusion, and robust innovative economy as his vision, the group said Emefiele has the right blend of politics to steer the ship of the nation ashore.

“Appointed by a People’s Democratic Party, PDP, government in June 2014 and confirmed for a second term in office by the All progressives Congress, APC, government of President Muhammadu Buhari, Godwin Emefiele straddles the political aisle with extensive network, alliance and pan-Nigerian friendships forged over seven years of engagements across, above and beyond party lines,” it said.

Indeed, those clamouring for Emefiele to run said his presidency could douse the separatist agitation in the South-East and address the question of power shift. Although he is not from South-East, he is Igbo from Delta State and his backers said he fits the president of Igbo extraction quest.

Another group, Push 4 Emefiele 2023 Presidency, in a two-page advertorial by its National Co-ordinator, Mr. Presley Okojie, listed the achievements of Emefiele as CBN governor and argued that he would consolidate on President Buhari’s achievements, in terms of infrastructural development, if elected in 2023.

READ ALSO: How CBN agric interventions saved Nigerian economy – Emefiele

“At this point in our history, we need a pan-Nigerian, with strong background in economic and versatile local and international connections/experience, to upscale our steady economic growth and ultimately tackle all forms of insecurity and separatists’ narratives. The appointment of Mr Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria on June 4, 2014 by ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, is a testament of Emefiele’s competence, devoid of ethno-religious and political sentiments, characteristics of the ideal President Nigeria  needs from May 29, 2023,” it argued.

Other groups pressuring Emefiele to run include the Mass Interest Project, MIP; Meffy for President; The Green Alliance, TGA; Youth for Transparency Initiative, YTI; and Friends of Godwin Emefiele.

Urging the CBN governor to run, The Mass Interest Project said Emefiele’s landmarks in loyalty and patriotism are the main ingredient the country needs in its current state.

The promoters, who argued that President Buhari’s successor should be a technocrat with a firm grasp of economics, said Emefiele’s credentials as an experienced entrepreneur and business leader stand him out.

In a statement, titled: “The Charge 2023,” it cited what it said were the CBN governor’s interventions through fiscal and monetary policies that helped the country to exit two recessions within five years.

The Green Alliance, TGA, last week, launched an initiative in Lagos to draft Emefiele into the 2023 presidential race.

The supporters, mainly youths, spotted white T-Shirts with the inscription ‘MEFFY 2023’ at an event held at Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, Lagos.

Convener of the group, Wale Fapohunda, told the gathering that since Emefiele’s appointment as CBN Governor, he has spent his energy building a resilient financial system that can serve the growth and development needs of the Nigerian economy

The needed sacrifice

 To answer the call, Emefiele has some sacrifices to make. He must leave his comfort zone and dive headlong into the murky waters of Nigeria’s politics. He must resign his position as CBN governor to pursue the aspiration as required by the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. He must also tell Nigerians the platform he will use. Will it be the ruling APC, main opposition PDP, other parties or as an independent candidate (if the National Assembly amends the constitution to include it)?

Resigning his CBN top job means he will abort his in-view record of the first Nigerian to serve as CBN governor under the administration of three presidents. He started under President Jonathan, was reappointed by President Buhari, and his second five-year tenure will end on June 3, 2024. Thus, if he did not resign, he will serve for exactly 370 days, more than a year under the Administration of President Buhari’s successor.

Will Emefiele sacrifice the record?

Criticisms

Since the Emefiele for presidency clamour started, the CBN governor has received harsh criticisms from some quarters.

Reacting to these criticisms, a group, The Friends of Godwin Emefiele, urged the critics to save their breath because Emefiele had not told anyone that he was running for the presidency.

In a four-page advertorial in some national dailies, members of the group said they had met with Emefiele on the issue and he told them that it was the prerogative of President Buhari to plan his succession in line with global best practices, for good governance and continuing peace and progress of the country.

According to them, Emefiele also stressed that he remained focused on his job, even as he has pledged to continue supporting the Buhari-led Federal Government’s economic recovery drive. They added that he warned those that resorted to all sorts of blackmail, sponsored articles and choreographed comments on social media targeted at tainting his image, impugning his character and legacy to desist from such acts, stressing that it’s God that anoints leaders and that he would leave his faith firmly in the hands of God.

The advertorial read in part: “In the past few weeks, there have been media reports on Emefiele’s purported interest in the 2023 presidential race, leading to some interested parties and vested interests resorting to all sorts of blackmail, sponsored articles and choreographed comments on social media targeted at tainting Emefiele’s image, impugning his character and legacy.

“The negative attacks were being sponsored by those who see Emefiele as a major threat to their political ambition. Truth is Godwin Emefiele has not confirmed to anyone he is running for President even as he is constitutionally qualified to do so; he has been under pressure in the past few weeks as different groups have been putting up unsolicited campaigns for his candidacy.

“Only yesterday (penultimate Monday), as the speculation became widespread, a group of his friends under the aegis of Friends of Godwin Emefiele met with him to clarify his position. Here is what he told us:

“That he remains focused on his job and will continue supporting the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government’s economic recovery drive; that in his career trajectory, right from his days as a young banker, he never asked, nor lobbied for a job, he was invited by the Board of Directors to be the Chief Executive Officer/Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank as he was an integral part of the team, led by founder Jim Ovia, that transformed Zenith Bank from a start-up to one of Africa’s largest banks with subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, South Africa, Dubai, China and the United Kingdom.”

Emefiele’s friends have spoken. However, observers are waiting to hear from the Horse’s mouth. Whether or not Emefiele will yield to the calls is a question of time.