From Fred Itua, Abuja

The Save Nigeria Project, has endorsed the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele for President, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

It has also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to accept, anoint and project him to the Nigerian people as his choice.

In a press conference by the organisation held on Thursday, it also passed a vote of confidence in President Buhari and also the CBN economic agenda in Nigeria.

Mr. Peter Abang, convener of the group, said Mr. Emefiele has shown unprecedented sagacity as Governor of the country’s central bank, stating that his initiatives for small, medium and large scale enterprises have been extraordinary and exceptional.

He stated further that “in the area of tackling unemployment, the CBN has 37 intervention funds targeted at stimulating the economy and addressing the issue of unemployment.

“Over 620, 000 direct and indirect jobs were created in two years as a result of the bank’s intervention in Cotton, Textile and Garment sector. In total, the bank’s development finance interventions have created over Seven Million jobs. This is the highest by any Central bank Governor in our history and indeed by any singular institution ever in the country.”

The group stated that though Mr. Emefiele had not formally declared to run for the office as he is still concentrating on his job at the apex bank, however, they urge the President to call on him to immediately begin a public presentation of himself to all citizens so as to ensure the message is spread appropriately..

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In arriving at the choice of Emefiele, Mr. Abang pointed that several countries in history had elected renowned economists and financial experts as leaders and they have always spearheaded impressive and speedy economic development. Sighting countries like Canada, Australia, Japan, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Italy etc who at opportune moments in their history elected economists and financial experts called on Nigerians to queue behind Mr. Emefiele who has done well in the Central Bank and has requisite knowledge and 26 years cognate experience coupled with the hands on expertise at the highest level.

The group stated other qualities that informed their choice to include that the candidature of Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele will continue, consolidate and expand the visions and landmark legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari. They stated that Mr. Emefiele is a core loyalist not just verbally but in action, a thorough professional in his field of endeavour, a person whose candidature will answer perennial political questions like quenching the quest for the Igbo to be President of Nigeria and satisfying the push for the South-South to complete their one outstanding term. They also say he has been with the President and he understands where the President wants the country to be in the nearest future adding that he is a tested and competent technocrat, a person who is detribalized, broad minded, generally acceptable and a believer in the unity and oneness of Nigeria.

“He is a patriot who has been part of the success recorded and ready to sustain them. He is not a controversial person and is very accommodating of our country’s diversities,” Mr. Abang concluded.

The group also took advantage of the briefing to alert the world on the activities of desperate politicians ahead of the 2023 general elections who had allegedly approached them and many other credible groups with a pool of funds of up to One Million Dollars to be allegedly shared by consenting groups for a massive smear campaign against the person of President Muhammadu Buhari, his economic agenda, the person and office of Mr. Godwin Emefiele and his policies in the CBN.

They claimed they have rejected the offer outrightly and called on Nigerians to note it once this condemnable project starts, disregard it and treat it with the disdain it deserves. The modus operandi will include that the leadership of many groups will be cloned and impersonated, lies and misrepresentation of facts will be the common denominator while they will feature prime time and front page as the funding will be quite heavy noting that it had petitioned the appropriate security agency.

“Finally, we call on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to key into this choice of Mr. Godwin Emefiele and also call on all leaders of note in our country who have the President’s ear to also lend their voice to this generational opportunity to massively grow our economy in leaps and bounds and also generally move Nigeria forward on the fronts of justice, equity and fairness,” Mr. Abang concluded