The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has asked the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to either resign or disassociate himself from speculation about him contesting the 2023 presidency. Although Emefiele has not publicly declared interest in the race, groups have been asking him to contest the 2023 presidential election. However, HEDA in a letter gave Emefiele a 14-day ultimatum to resign from and pursue his Political ambition (if he is interested) or disassociate himself publicly from such speculations and stick to his job. The letter signed by chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju, was copied to President Muhammadu Buhari and the president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan. HEDA acknowledged that Emefiele has a constitutional right to contest any election in Nigeria, but asked him to take a stand now than “keeping Nigeria at sea”. Suraju said, “It has been widely published in the media that the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is planning to contest in the 2023 general election to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a group by the name: The Green Alliance recently addressed the press on the subject matter of Emefiele for President. “By virtue of being the Governor of the apex bank in Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is not eligible to contest for any election in Nigeria or participate in politics. By the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, he is statutorily barred from participating in politics or engaging in any other business for that matter. “Section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act provide thus: “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.” Suraju maintained that HEDA being the leading Anti-Corruption civil society organization in Nigeria and Non-partisan Human Rights and Development league with the mandate to protect and promote universally recognised human rights, public accountability, transparency and environmental justice in Nigeria and Africa, in accordance with International best standards, would continue to work assiduously to keep to its mandate. He advised the CBN Governor to either come out publicly and dissociate himself from the campaign, saying Emefiele cannot pursue political ambition while in office. The group stated that if he insisted on contesting, he should adhere to the CBN Act and resign honourably within the next 14 days from the date of receipt of the letter, saying, “We trust that you shall fully comply with the law and do what is best for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is expected to meet with Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was initially scheduled to hold last Tuesday last week before it was put off shortly before the President traveled to Brussels, Belgium to attend the EU-AU Summit. It was reliably gathered that the rescheduled meeting with the APC governors which is at the instance of President Buhari is to look at the national convention of the party scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 26, 2022. It was learnt that the date may no longer be feasible as it is less than a week away with no known programme put in place by the party. The meeting with the President which will be led by the Chairman of the Interim Committee of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni with 20 other APC Governors in attendance will now table another possible date and other logistics for approval by President Buhari. Sources close to the party hinted that its interim leadership was said to be pushing for the convention to be moved by two weeks to mid March but it will have to seek the approval of President Buhari in his capacity as the National leader of the APC. The sources said it was the same step Buni-led interim committee took last December when it approached the President to approve the February 26 date which President Buhari gladly did. The sources who claimed not to be comfortable with the development in the party said the same scenario that played out last time may repeat itself as the President may accede to the extension of the date for the convention being proposed by the party. Recall that last week Tuesday, some governors actually turned up at the State House for the meeting with the President before they learnt about the postponement of the meeting. Most of the APC Governors were said to have arrived Abuja Monday for the Tuesday meeting before they heard of the cancellation through the Progressive Governors Forum, which is the umbrella body of APC Governors. Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum ( NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, who was sighted at the Villa earlier on Tuesday left as soon as he knew the meeting had been postponed. Othe Governors sighted at the Villa included Professor Ben Ayade of Cross River state; Yahaya Bello of Kogi state; Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo state and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State who were said to have used the opportunity of the visit to discuss issues affecting their various states with the President.

    PRESIDENTIAL aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, Sunday, vowed that no amount of intimidation could halt his presidential ambition in 2023. He said this during his consultation with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Olubadan-designate, Oba Lekan Balogun. Tinubu had in January visited President Muhammadu Buhari to register his readiness to contest in the 2023 elections. Speaking at the Olubadan-designate’s palace in Ibadan, the National Leader of the APC insisted that no amount of intimidation could stop him from fulfilling his ambition. He said his visit to Oyo and Ibadan was borne out of his respect for the royal stool, and to seek their blessings, cooperation and prayers to lead the country come 2023. He said his visit to Oyo and Ibadan was borne out of his respect for the royal stool, and to seek their blessings, cooperation and prayers to lead the country come 2023. He said: “No amount of intimidation can stop me. I am ready to get dirty. I am out to become President of Nigeria. We are at a crossroad.” Speaking earlier at the Alaafin’s palace, he said: “I cannot embark on a project of such magnitude without seeking for prayers and cooperation of the traditional rulers. “I am here to inform our fathers of my decision to run for the position of the President of this country in 2023. What I need from our highly referred traditional rulers are their prayers and cooperation. “Today, by the special grace of God in Yorubaland unlike before we have the Vice-President, the Minister of Works, Interior and Sports but we still need more.” Responding, Oba Adeyemi, who invoked the spirits of his fore-bearers, said his request has been granted. He said all the ancestors of Yorubaland would work in his favour and answer his prayers. He, therefore, asked the 10 Oke-Ogun traditional rulers in attendance at the meeting whether they were in support of his decision, and their response was: “We are fully in support.”

  A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Rtd), has distanced himself from the campaign posters flying around showing he is in preparation for the 2023 Presidential race. Buratai, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, explained that he never indicated interest, discussed with or directed anyone on such matters. In a statement signed by the former spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman (Rtd), Buratai said such calls and posters should be discountenanced as they did not emanate from him. ”The attention of His Excellency, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd), Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff, has been drawn to calls and dissemination of campaign posters calling on him to join partisan politics and contest for Presidential candidature of one of the political parties by some persons. ”However, it is essential to state that the Ambassador has never indicated interest, discussed with, or directed anyone on such matters,” the statement read. It added, ”Therefore, such calls and posters should be discountenanced as they did not emanate from him, nor is he interested in them. “It is entirely the handiwork of some people for reasons best known to them. ”His Excellency wishes to reiterate his contentment and commitment to national service in his present capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic. ”He remains loyal and eternally grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve. “He, however, wishes to thank all well-meaning persons, friends and well-wishers who showed concern over this development.” Buratai was appointed Chief of Army Staff on 13 July 2015. He was rumoured to have been replaced by President Buhari following the promotion of Maj.-Gen. L.O Adeosun to Lieutenant General, making him of the same rank with Buratai. But the report was immediately debunked by the Army. General Buratai was eventually removed by President Buhari on January 26, 2021 after widespread calls for the removal of service chiefs due to the worsening security situation in the country during their time of Service.