2023: Court restrains CBN, INEC from stopping Godwin Emefiele from contesting

A Delta State High Court sitting in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, has granted an order restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from stopping the bank’s governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, from contesting the 2023 Presidential election.

Emefiele is vying for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2023 polls.

The applicant, Nkwo Augustine Eddiego, in the suit with number HCR/38/2022, sought an interpretation and supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the provision of Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007 as amended.

Granting the order, Justice D. C Maidoh noted that the applicant deposed to an affidavit of urgency and also complied with order 39 of court rules.

He held that the application has merit at this stage pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted,” he said, adjourning hearing on the Motion on Notice to May 25, 2022.

Section 9 of CBN Act bars the governor and deputy governor of the apex bank from seeking political offices.

Emefiele's presidential ambition has been challenged by the Electoral Act 2022, and the CBN Act. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, gave legal reasons why the Governor of the CBN is not qualified to run for Presidency, come 2023.