March 28, (THEWILL) – The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has maintained that his focus at this point in time is to formulate a robust monetary policy and fight inflation, which is now a global problem.
He also said that part of his focus is also to build a strong financial system in an increasingly uncertain global economy.
Emiefiele made this position known in a series of tweet on his official Twitter account on Monday, in an apparent reaction to calls for him to run for the presidency of the country in 2023.
The CBN governor listed other areas of focus to include development finance and supporting farmers and manufacturers in the bank’s self-sufficiency and import substitution as well as raising N15 trillion for Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCo) infrastructure finance.
Emefiele said that the apex bank is building a world-class international financial centre in Lagos as well as supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to finish strong.
The tweets read, “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.
“Development finance and supporting farmers and manufacturers in our self-sufficiency and import substitution drive, raising N15 trillion for InfraCo infrastructure finance, building a world-class international financial centre in Lagos, as we support the Muhammadu Buhari administration to finish strong.’’
Although Emefiele did not specifically mention the presidential campaign in the statement he posted to his personal Twitter handle, he, however, ended the statement with #NoDistractionsPlease.
THEWILL recalls that different interest groups in their public campaign, have urged the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to throw his hat in the ring and contest for the office of the president in 2023 general election.
However, when a ‘group of his friends’, tagged ‘Friends of Godwin Emefiele’, visited him to discuss the controversy over his rumoured presidential ambition, the CBN governor was quoted as saying he would prefer to leave the matter in God’s hands.
“Mr Emefiele told us that he believes it’s the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari to plan his succession in line with global best practices for good governance for the continuing peace and progress of the federal republic of Nigeria. As such, he will play his part to stabilise the economy for an orderly transition,” a statement signed by the group, reads.
“And given that it’s God that anoints leaders, he will leave his faith (sic) firmly in the hands of God.”
But in a more pronounced pressure, various groups of youths from across the country in their hundreds stormed the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s National Convention, held in Abuja on Saturday and demanded that Emefiele, while still holding office as the Central Bank Governor, should declare his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election without further delay.
