How Emefiele’s Ambition ‘ll Affect Our Activities for 2023 Polls – INEC
POLITICS DIGEST- The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday, warned of serious implications should the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, proceed with his presidential ambition.
Emefiele, last week, obtained the presidential nomination form of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, although he attributed the N100 million paid for the forms to a group of farmers lobbying him to run for office.
However, documents filed before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court by the Apex Bank Governor’s lawyers at the Mike Ozekhome Chambers, revealed that Emefiele had been actively seeking to be president.
INEC spokesman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a statement to Peoples Gazette, said the electoral office has been monitoring Mr Emefiele’s political activities, and addressed growing concerns about the sanctity of election materials being stockpiled at CBN’s facilities, across the country.
“The strategic partnership between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which enables the Commission to store its election sensitive materials with the CBN, has been in place for many years and beneficial in several ways.
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“Indeed, there have been various reports that the CBN Governor is nursing an intention to run for the office of President. But, he is yet to formally declare his intention to run for the office of president as of today.
“However, if and when he eventually does, the Commission [will] look at the implications and take a decision on what becomes of the long-standing strategic partnership with the CBN,” he said.
The spokesperson for CBN did not immediately return enquiries about the matter, while Emefiele busied calls to his three mobile lines, Monday afternoon.
An INEC official, who spoke to Peoples Gazette in confidence, said their electoral body has partnered CBN for decades on critical election materials logistics, but might be forced to find alternatives should Emefiele run for president, without resigning his position at CBN.
The Apex Bank Governor, Politics Digest learnt, has been under intense public scrutiny and condemnation after exposing himself as a partisan political operative of the ruling APC, with intention to be elected president in February 2023.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has rebuffed calls to demand Emefiele’s resignation, and avert further damage to CBN’s reputation as the country’s pre-eminent financial sector regulator.
