2023: Governors Pull Out Of 2022 Committee Over Links With Emefiele Presidency

It was convened by eminent businessman and politician, Kashim Imam, and the Publisher of THISDAY newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena.

One of the serving Governors who initially pledged alliance to the group, told The Eagle Online in the early hours of Saturday that they decided to pull out after evidence was established that the idea was to push for an Emefiele presidency.

Emefiele had distanced himself from the 2023 presidential race.

He did this through a group, tagged: “Friends of Emefiele.”

The group said the CBN governor was focused on finishing strong on his present assignment and should not be distracted by the clamour for 2023.

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However, the serving Governor who spoke with The Eagle Online, said intelligence available to them had shown that The 2022 Committee was bent on having Emefiele run for the presidency.

He said apart from the recent clamour, which was eventually traced to The 2022 Committee, the advertorial placed in the media and back up articles had been traced to top journalists who had worked with THISDAY or are closely related to its Obaigbena and other top members of The 2022 Committee.

The Governor said: “For instance, the advertisement that was placed by the group surreptitiously was handled by a former staff of THISDAY.

“Several articles have been flying around and we now know those behind it.

“Obviously we the serving Governors do not have a choice but to withdraw.”

The Governor said they were sceptical of the possibility of flying an Emefiele candidacy because of the difficulties they may face.

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He said one it included the issue of the perception of the Nigerian economy by Nigerians.

He said: “Many Nigerians are certainly not sure that the economy under the CBN Governor has fared well, not even with the challenges surrounding foreign exchange and the failure to reflate the economy.

“More so, there was at a time some reports that the CBN Governor was under probe.

“The way the country is now, no party wants to associate with probable candidates that have issues surrounding them, whether they are true or just a creation of those who hate the faces of those involved.”

The Eagle Online is, however, reporting that Emefiele has not been interrogated officially for any misdemeanour by the country’s anti-graft agencies.

He was also given a second term in office by President Muhammadu Buhari for what was considered a successful first term tenure despite the fact that he was appointed by a Federal Government led by the Peoples Democratic Party.

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The administration of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan appointed Emefiele on June 4, 2014, while Buhari, elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, renewed his tenure.

Before emerging as the Governor of the CBN, Emefiele was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank PLC, one of Nigeria’s most profitable and solid banks.

The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria also during the week heaped praises on the CBN Governor for his intervention, which the leadership said has made Nigeria a major rice producing Nation. (The Eagle Online)