The governor of Nigeria’s central bank intends to run in next year’s presidential election. Godwin Emefiele, 60, is seeking the nomination as a presidential candidate for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources at the ruling party’s headquarters told the BBC he had bought a nomination form to contest the party’s primaries. It is unprecedented in Nigerian politics for a serving central bank chief to join the presidential race.
Among the other APC candidates are Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos state governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is also among several candidates seeking the nomination for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Nigeria’s political parties have until 3 June to choose their presidential candidates. The election is due to take place in February 2023.
Amid the speculations Mr Emefiele in a series of tweets using the hashtag #NoDistractionsPlease had said “My focus at this time is a robust monetary policy and fighting inflation which is now a global problem; building a strong financial system in an increasingly uncertain global economy,”
He further stressed that he was focused on “Development finance and supporting farmers & manufacturers in our self sufficiency and import substitution drive; raising N15 trillion for InfraCo infrastructure financing , Building a world class International Financial Center in Lagos; as we support the Muhammadu Buhari Administration to finish strong.”
