Distractors and the Truth About Emefiele Branded Vehicles by Chidi Ebube
Editor's note: Public affairs commentator, Chidi Ebube, writes on the recent photo which surfaced on the internet showing branded vehicles with the picture of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, announcing his interest in the 2023 presidency.
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Over the weekend, a photo of branded vehicles carrying the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele ‘s posters for president under the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged on social media.
As expected, the photo has generated heated debates about the appropriateness of the CBN governor taking delivery of branded vehicles for his campaign to become the next president under the ruling APC.
Source: Facebook
Many argued that as the chairman of the country’s reserve bank, the CBN governor should be apolitical.
However, Emefiele has always maintained that his focus at this point in time was to formulate a robust monetary policy and fight inflation which is now a global problem.
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In a series of tweets posted on his official Twitter account on March 28, 2022, the CBN boss said that part of his focus was also to build a strong financial system in an increasingly uncertain global economy.
He said:
“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.”
Responding to the photo which flooded the social media, an ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, defended Emefiele, saying the CBN governor was innocent of the 2023 elections campaign flying around and that there were some other persons behind the move.
Omokri continued that the campaign vehicles for Emefiele which flooded the social media were only a red herring by a “fifth columnist” and attempted to taint the CBN governor.
He said:
“It has come to my knowledge that those vehicles purportedly for the campaign of Emefiele are a red herring by a fifth columnist. The man is innocent and his detractors just want to taint him.”
It is important to note that different interest groups in their public campaign, have urged Emefiele to throw his hat in the ring and contest for the office of the president in 2023 general elections.
However, Emefiele’s response has been consistent with the statement quoted earlier in this article. Indeed, one of the several groups calling on Emefiele to run for president has come out to exonerate him.
In a statement signed by its convener, Wale Fapohunda, The Green Alliance (TGA) movement said Emefiele neither had any knowledge of nor sponsored the acquisition and branding of those vehicles displayed in the trending photo.
The statement read in part:
“It will also interest the general public that most of the branded vehicles seen on the social media space were donated by collaborative groups who have been working together tirelessly to ensure that Dr. Godwin Emefiele heeds the clarion call from the coalitions.
“In view of the above, it is grossly unfair and unpatriotic for people to attack, or allege that the person of Dr. Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele has abused his office as the Central Bank governor.”
Those who acknowledge and appreciate the job being done by Emefiele as head of the apex bank have maintained that, although he has the inalienable right and an unmatched track record to aspire to the highest position in the land, Emefiele is focused on his present job and should not be distracted by both mischief-makers and pushers of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.
Both distractors and their enablers should let the CBN governor be.
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