Godwin Emefiele
Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may have in the past been enjoying a bit of sanctity as he has not faced the kind of virulent mudslingings that’s now been hurled at him since declaring his interest in taking over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
The nation’s number one banker has not been finding it easy since crossing the Rubicon by daring to announce his interest in leaving the blessed office of a civil servant for that of the topmost job of the nation’s president, an ever vilified and thankless job in Nigeria.
Emefiele is now in the eye of the storm as he has by his declared ambition crossed the line of fire of some politicians who are also interested in the same job and are quite used to fighting dirty for the post which they considered their exclusive preserve.
The firepower has now started in earnest as Godwin Emefiele inches towards officially declaring for the post of the nation’s president by submitting his form to his party of choice, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sokoto State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is one of the early callers as he has told Emefiele, to as a matter of urgency resign his position in the interest of the nation’s economy.
Tambuwal made the call while addressing PDP delegates in Jalingo recently noting that the nation’s economy is in shambles and that decision of Emefiele to run for the presidency would have an immediate effect on the economy, considering its volatility.
He said, “It is high time that President Muhammadu Buhari called Emefiele to order. If he wants to contest, he must resign.”
Wondering why Emefiele would remain in office as CBN governor while seeking for the number one position of the country, he said, “If you want to run, please run, but leave our Central Bank alone.”
Tambuwal, while noting that successful leadership demands fairness and equity, felt sad that the country is now more divided than ever before.
Another is Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education who has told Emefiele to stop playing hide and seek concerning his intention to be Nigeria’s next president and resign.
Ezekwesili noted that the game by Emefiele is embarrassing and toying with monetary authority of Nigeria.
The BBOG activist said this while reacting to Emefiele’s recent statement that he’s waiting for God’s divine intervention to decide if he would contest for Presidency.
Ezekwesili via her Twitter page wrote: “I just read your waffling neither-here-nor-there tweet reacting to news of your payment of N100M for the APC Nomination form for 2023 Presidential election. Seems you did not read what the APC Spokesperson said to @Bloomberg . Resign. Stop embarrassing the country. Stop.
“This is for you. Time to end your low-grade hide and seek game that dangerously toys with the monetary authority of this country and its people. Resign.
“It is legitimate aspiration to seek to be President of Nigeria but resign from CBN to go pursue it.”
But THE STATEPOST want to observe that more is still to come as even the little respect Emefiele has or is enjoying now will soon be dragged in the mud and torn to shreds as he entered the threshold of Nigeria’s “dirty politics”.
