By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The request of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, from preventing him from contesting the 2023 presidential election without vacating office has been rejected by a federal high court sitting in Abuja.
It had been rumoured that Mr Emefiele was nursing a presidential ambition and last week, it became clearer when it was reported that three groups have obtained presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for him.
This sparked reactions from Nigeria, who felt it was wrong for a sitting CBN governor to be partisan in contradiction with the CBN Act.
Mr Emefiele later disclosed that he was humbled by the calls for him to contest for the position of president of Nigeria and that he would consult God for the next line of action.
The apex bank chief approached the court to beg to be allowed to run for the presidency without losing his post as the manager of the nation’s monetary policies.
The banker, in a suit filed by his counsel, Mr Mike Ozekhome, informed the court that he is qualified to join the presidential race as a CBN Governor as Section 84 ((12) of the Electoral Act as amended 2022 does not affect him, being a public servant and not a political appointee.
But the court rejected his plea and asked the INEC and Mr Malami to appear before it on May 12 to show cause on why status quo antebellum, should not be granted to Mr Emefiele.
Adedapo Adesanya