Group Raises N67m, Set to Purchase Nomination Form for Emefiele to Contest for President

•Says CBN governor most qualified to succeed Buhari

Peter Uzoho

Members of the Emefiele Support Group (ESG) have disclosed that they have already raised N67 million with target of raising N100 million for the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination form for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele to contest for the presidency in the 2023 election.

The ESG also described Emefiele as the man that meets all the qualities needed to emerge as president.

The Director of Communications, ESG, Benigna Ejimba, who spoke on a national television yesterday, said the group remains confident that Emefiele would deliver good job for Nigeria if he becomes the president by 2023.

Ejimba, who stressed that the CBN governor was the right man for the job, noted that Emefiele would bring his experience both as a professional and economist to be bear as he steers the ship of the country.

She said by being a loyalist, a detribalised person and by hailing from Delta State, south-south region as well as from the Igbo-speaking part of Delta State, Emefiele’s chance of winning the presidential race was bright.

Ejimba said, “We in the Emefiele Support Group, we are basically a team of young professionals and citizens who are also interested in seeing a befitting leadership for our country.

“We have looked and searched within and we see Emefiele as the right man for the job. We have continuously stated our reasons for that.

“Why we think he’s the right man for the job is because firstly, in his personality, he fits the bill. He fits all the characteristics we are looking for, or we think that Nigeria needs as the president.

“Mr. Emefiele is a professional. He’s an experienced economist. He’s also a loyalist, and he’s a detribalised person. He’s from Delta State, South-South region as well as from the Igbo-speaking part of Delta State.

“So, with Mr. Emefiele, Nigeria can actually kill two birds with one stone. His candidacy can help to quench the quest for Igbo presidency and also for the South-South’s quest for one more term.”

Describing Emefiele as somebody who has shown experience, passion and commitment for his job despite where his loyalty lies, Ejimba added that all through his term as the CBN governor, he has been dedicated to his work.

The ESG director, however, pointed out that Emefiele had not answered their call yet, saying “We are waiting on him and we are hoping and praying that he would actually take up and run for presidency.”

She dispelled speculations that Emefiele asked them to campaign for him while he remains at the background, saying his posters in circulation were done by the support group without Emefiele’s knowledge.

“We did it because we believe in him. He was not the one that sent us to campaign for him. I have not even met the man. I don’t know him personally. I only know of his work and the track record of his performance out there.

“So, that is what me and most people in my group have read and we are working with that. We don’t know him. We don’t know whether he will even take up this call.  So, we are just putting pressure on him. We just feel that the opponent is just being scared”, she stated.

Criticising the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over a recent statement demanding the resignation of Emefiele from his position as the CBN governor, Ejimba said the PDP was already scared of being defeated at the poll by the CBN boss.

“We feel that the PDP are being scared. In fact, when we saw their press statement, we were very excited. We felt that indeed, we were on the right track. We feel that because PDP is the one that discovered this man.

“The know his capabilities. So, that’s why they are scared. They know that if given this job, he will do well. That means PDP will be defeated. So, we really feel that that statement is coming from people who are scared of Emefiele entering the race,” she added.