‘Let them have a heart attack,’ Emefiele reacts to condemnations trailing his 2023 presidential ambition

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday laughed off the anxiety associated with his presidential ambition ahead of the 2023 general elections, saying he is having fun.

Emefiele, who briefed journalists at the presidential villa after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari, said, “There is no news but there will be news.”

When journalists inquired to know his views about the anxiety created by his ambition, the apex bank governor said: “Let them have a heart attack. It is good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”

Emefiele’s visit was not officially on the State House’s schedule.

Condemnations had trailed his move to contest in the 2023 presidential election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) while presiding over the apex bank.

The CBN governor had on May 6 picked the APC N100m presidential nomination and expression of interest form.

Prior to him picking the form, he had in February reacted to the controversy around his interest in the much-coveted seat, saying he would leave his fate firmly in the hands of God.

Adamant about his presidential ambition, he approached the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.

His lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/610/2022 challenging the legality of Section 84(12) of the amended Electoral Act and preventing its application to him (a government appointee) in h Buhari has directed that all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has directed the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, ambassadors, heads of agencies, and other government appointees with political ambition to step down.

In a circular issued on Wednesday, the directive affected the CBN Governor who is among the heads of extra-ministerial departments.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this directive affects all Ministers, Heads, and Members of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies and Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors as well as other political appointees who desire to contest for elective offices,” read the circular issued hours after President Muhammadu Buhari’s ordered members of the cabinet seeking offices in next year’s poll to resign.