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From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
As the race for the next president intensifies ahead of the 2023 general elections, a section of the Youth in the North under the aegis of Unified Northern Nigeria Youth Forum has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Godwin Emefiele, to join the presidential race.
Mallam Ibrahim Bature, Director General of the group, made the call in Jalingo on Thursday at a press conference.
Bature said that it has become expedient to call on the CBN governor to join the race and take over the reins of power so that he can replicate the innovations he has brought to the banking system in the country in order to position the county on the path of progress once again.
He regretted that rather than building on the noble dreams of the founding fathers of the country who harnessed our diversity and regional differences to foster development, the new crop of leaders have exploited our differences to create disunity, instability crisis and unprecedented hatred which must be addressed by a true statesman if Nigeria must continue to coexist as one indivisible entity.
“As we go into the next general elections, we must bear in mind that we must set aside sentiments of regional and religious affiliation and go for who will provide credible leadership. We need a leader who is detribalized, a symbol of Unity and one whose priority will be the masses of this country.
“In other for Nigeria to continue to co-exist as one, our plea to Northerners is that, let us encourage nationalism and togetherness because Dr Godwin Emefiele has demonstrated this by going around the 19 states of the North to bring in policies that have greatly improved the living conditions of our people, under his watch as the CBN governor, even though he is not a northerner.
“Dr Godwin Emefiele has shown love to our people, it and is time for us to come out en mass, raise our voices to call on him to contest for President of this country, for him to take over from our son President Muhammadu Buhari. This is a man who has written his name in the heart of Northerners, due to his undying contributions in eradicating poverty and actually uplifting millions out of poverty.
“Since the unity of this country is not negotiable, the one man that can keep its unity intact and in one piece is the result-driven Dr Godwin Emefiele. That is why we are here in Taraba State and are calling on the stakeholders of the state to also join in calling on Dr Godwin Emefiele to contest as President of Nigeria for promotion of Peace, Progress and Prosperity.”
Taraba state leader of the forum Muawuya Dalhatu in his remarks noted that the state has benefited tremendously from the CBN governor and called in the people to join the call for Emefiele to contest for President come 2023.
Dalhatu stated that “under Dr Godwin Emefiele’s Anchor Borrower’s Policy, about 36,000 bags of rice were produced by local farmers in Taraba State in 2019 alone, thereby reducing the use of imported foreign rice. Cotton farmers were disbursed a loan of N6.4 billion of the CBN Anchor borrower program in Taraba, Adamawa, and Gombe.
“12,732 maize farmers in Taraba got N7.1 billion loans to improve their farming businesses while many youths in the state enjoyed the COVID-19 Loan initiative of the CBN Governor. Consequently, we the progressive youth of Taraba State are calling on Dr Godwin Emefiele to declare for the President of Nigeria 2023”.
