You Can’t Disqualify Me, Emefiele Says As He Takes INEC To Court, Hires Ozekhome

Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged plan to disqualify him from the 2023 presidential primaries slated for the end of this month.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties a deadline of June 3 to submit their candidates for the 2023 elections.

Some groups purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress ((APC) for Emefiele on Friday.

This had triggered outrage as many called on the CBN governor to step down.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who described Emefiele’s interest in the 2023 Presidency as “a joke taken too far”, had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to fire him if he refused to step down.

Lawyers and critics had argued that Emefiele was unfit to run going by Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act.

The section states 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.

But in documents seen by Daily Trust, Emefiele, through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, argued that he is more or less a civil servant and by provision of the constitution, he is expected to resign a month before the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

He also contended that a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, had nullified that section of the Electoral Act.

INEC and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were joined in the suit.

On Saturday, Emefiele declined the presidential forms bought for him, saying he would use his resources to purchase them if he is interested in the race.

Speaking further on the 2023 Presidency, Emefiele said God would decide for him “in the next few days”.