The APC now has at least 20 aspirants, including Emefiele that have paid the N100 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms of the party.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has declared his intention to contest the presidency of Nigeria on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by picking the party’s nomination form.
Associates of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, have picked the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential nomination form for the governor.
The form, TheNiche gathered, was picked on his behalf by associates at about 11.15 am.
The APC now has at least 20 aspirants, including Emefiele that have paid the N100 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms of the party.
Majority of the aspirants are serving officials of the government. Why the race is so crowded is unclear, but there have been speculations that a cabal in the presidency has been choreographing the declarations so far.
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Emefiele’s nomination form was reportedly picked up on Friday.
The development confirms Emefiele’s readiness to contest the 2023 presidential race, and puts to rest speculation about whether or not he would join partisan politics while leading the nation’s central bank
Emefiele has become the first central bank governor to join active politics and seek an elective position while in office. Some analysts have said that is illegal because the act establishing the CBN forbids it’s officials from becoming partisan.
According to Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007, the apex bank governor must not venture into any other vocation while in office and must resign in writing to the President if he nursed such intention.
It reads, “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 except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties…”
Sixty-year-old Emefiele was appointed CBN governor in 2014 and has since remained at the apex bank. Under him, the Naira has wobbled against the dollar and now exchanges at N560/$1 from around N150/$1 when he came into office.