Diaspora body berates PDP over call for Emefiele’s resignation

Explains advocacy for CBN gov to join 2023 race

Nigerian Patriotic Quest (NPQ), a group of professionals based in the diaspora and support group for Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele has described a recent assertion by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Emefiele as “products of a mischievous and overexcited imagination.”

The group was reacting to call by the party, at the weekend, asking Emefiele to resign, following the appearance of his campaign posters for the 2023 general elections at the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention.

In a statement, yesterday, NPQ coordinator, Ahmed Ja’Usman Tijani, said: “We are shocked by the deliberate distortion of facts and ignoble attempt to deceive the public through countless repetition of empty allegations.

“Our interest in this matter is based on the fact that we are a prominent campaigner for Emefiele to be part of the presidential contest in 2023. We owe no one any apology for this and we will continue to affirm that Emefiele is the type of leader this nation needs now.

“We are, indeed, surprised that a national publicity secretary of PDP will, at this time, believe that running down Emefiele is the best way to re-energise their ineffective opposition politics of the past seven years.  

“The baselessness of these allegations is underlined by the fact that at no time has Emefiele declared himself a presidential candidate of the APC. To further expose this hatchet job for what it is, there is no single poster of Emefiele with the insignia of APC on it. The fact remains that Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele never appeared in any APC poster till date. 

“Emefiele, in his position as CBN governor, to all objective observers, has performed his duties with a great sense of patriotism, dedication and none partisanship. Indeed, the benefits of CBN’s economic interventions and policies cut across political or geographical boundaries.  

“This is the main reason why his efforts have been acclaimed across the country; and this is why we and a generality of citizens believe he is the most suitable candidate for the post of president in 2023.

“We remain undaunted in our support of the candidacy of Emefiele in the 2023 elections and strongly reiterate our position that Emefiele should answer this call of destiny at this time for the betterment of both the current and future generations of Nigeria.”

Speaking further, NPQ reiterated its call on the CBN governor to join the race for the presidency of Nigeria.  Tijani said: “We will continue to make this call because Nigeria is now at a crossroads and will require the care and nurture of a man, like Emefiele, to take her to the promised land of rapid development.

“In the past two decades, Nigerians have entrusted their fate in the hands of professional politicians with barely anything to show for it. If we must be honest with ourselves, we can say without any fear of contradiction, that professional politicians have succeeded in running the nation aground. 

“We have witnessed a relay race of politicians handing over the baton of leadership from one uneventful administration to the other. Our patience is totally exhausted. We seek a new shift in leadership from the old to the new. 

“We are not carried away by the rhetoric of the old brigade who are now cat-walking the national walkways to sell to us their expired recipes. Enough is enough!

“It is time for this nation to support and encourage the emergence of a new type of leadership. We yearn for the advent of the servant leader, who is there to serve and not to be served and celebrated.”