By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to seek interpretation over his presidential ambition, putting an end to uncertainties about his bid to contest in 2023.
In a suit filed on his behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Emefiele is praying for a declaration that he is not bound to resign to participate in a primary election to select a presidential candidate.
The CBN Governor is the sole plaintiff in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney-General of the Federation are the respondents.
He is praying the court to determine whether Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not inconsistent with Section 137 (1)(G) of the 1999 Constitution.
Part of the grounds of the application read: “That the plaintiff has aspiration to seek election to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and participate as a candidate in the upcoming 2023 elections.
“That section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that: ‘No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election’.
“That the plaintiff verily believes that he is not affected by these provisions, as he is not a political appointee as envisaged by the above provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“That the Central Bank of Nigeria is entirely (100 per cent) owned by the Nigerian Federal Government, and therefore constitutes a government agency with the meaning and intendment of Section 318 of 1999 Constitution.”
(The Nation)
