A pressure group, Unified Northern Nigeria Youth Forum, has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to join the 2023 presidential race.
Mr Aliyu Sani, the group’s spokesperson, made the call when he briefed newsmen on Friday in Dutse.
Sani said that the call became necessary in view of Emefiele’s capability to turn around the economy of the country.
“A leader is a hero who accomplishes goals against all odds for his followers. These are the leadership attributes and qualities of Dr Godwin Emefiele who works round the clock for the benefit of the masses of Nigeria,” Sani said.
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He explained that Nigerians need team spirit to overcome the numerous challenges bedevilling the nation.
“We need pragmatic leaders who already have a blue print on how to move the nation forward through peace, progress and prosperity.
“Nigerians should look into the 37 interventions initiated by Dr Godwin Emefiele, they will realize that all of them are masses friendly. They are accessible from anywhere in Nigeria, without collateral, and the interest rate is subsidized as well as the payment time is flexible.
“You need no one, you just sit at the comfort of your home and apply. It is only someone who has the masses at heart that can initiate what will benefit the masses.
“The masses of this country, irrespective of our tribe, religion or ethnicity, have benefitted from Emefiele’s policies, because they are directly for the masses and they have helped in creation of wealth. Today, many of us are proud farmers and owners of different kinds of businesses. All these are possible because of policies initiated by Emefiele.
“As a Northerner, I will say and still emphasize that aside our founding fathers, no individual has touched the lives a of common men like Emefiele.
“This is because today in Northern Nigeria, agriculture has taken the lead back as the pride of Northern Nigeria. We have seen the pyramids of rice, in Kebbi, Abuja and recently, maize pyramid in Kaduna and other places.
“The boost of ginger production in Kafanchan and Kachia, among others. Nigeria is now exporting wheat from Plateau, yam from Vandekiya, high production of milk from Niger, Kwara and Nassarawa to mention but a few,” he said.
The spokesperson added that in each state in the North, the masses have been busy generating wealth by engaging in one crop production or the other, providing food security for the country, because Emefiele believes that Nigeria should feed itself by producing what it consumes.
“With all these interventions targeting the poor, one doesn’t need a soothsayer to say that as Northerners, this is where our direction is, this is where we belong, this is where we can achieve our dreams.”
According to him, most Nigerians have made up their mind to move to the next level of peace, progress and prosperity with Emefiele as the Nigerian leader.
“It is a clarion call, and our visit to Jigawa is to consult with relevant stakeholders to lend their voices and speak louder for Emefiele to contest for the president, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Emefiele is the right person for Nigeria now, surely, he will improve our economy, create wealth for the nation, all sectors of the economy will be working, Nigeria will flourish. He will unite Nigeria and we will be each other’s brother’s keeper, we will progress together as a nation and there will be peace, progress and prosperity.
“We wish to inform you that the responses we are getting from Nigerians about Emefiele’s presidency is overwhelming and it will be a grave mistake for him not to yield to our call, because he is the leader that Nigeria needs now to lead this most populous black nation in the world.
“Therefore, I am appealing to all the stakeholders of Jigawa state to call on him to contest and to remind him that the national interest supersedes personal interest,” Sani added (NAN)
