Emefiele is Buhari’s 2023 presidential bride, here’s why [Pulse Editor's Opinion]

Early this year, President Muhammadu Buhari hinted that he had a choice successor, but has since maintained silence on this chosen person. His silence has thrown the media and opinion spaces into a frenzy, with many speculations around who Buhari would endorse. Talks have pointed at Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi, but there are several reasons why the president will not pick obvious options.

The relationship between top leaders such as presidents, governors and their deputies has sometimes become a matter of controversy in our climes and even beyond. With the Buhari-Osinbajo chapter, the president has severally displayed lack of confidence in his vice. Since the 2019 elections, the president has refused to hand over to Osinbajo as he had earlier done in his first term when traveling outside the nation. This only shows a sign of a relegation of Osinbajo in the presidency.

On the other hand, Amaechi simply is not Buhari’s type. The president has a track record of appointing underdog-like characters to work closely with. The likes of Boss Mustapha, late Abba Kyari, Mohammed Sarki Abba, all represent Buhari’s type of close associates. The man likes the ones you do not see coming. Basically, Amaechi is way too lousy to be on Buhari’s choice list. 

The minister of transportation has also recently been in a dirt controversy about the extra security features that may have prevented the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. The sensitivity of that issue already lowers Amaechi’s chances of standing against any frontline PDP candidate, as they (Peter Obi, Aminu Tambuwal, etc) are heavy on credibility.

Buhari re-appointed Godwin Emefiele, who was originally appointed by the previous administration. The CBN Governor has proven capable in his current position and has earned some level of credibility among citizens. Emefiele has also maintained a good public relationship and rapport with the President. Moreover, he fits right into the President’s underdog spec.

Recall, Buhari delayed to approve the new Electoral Act because he wanted Section 84(12) changed.  The section states that “no political appointee AT ANY LEVEL shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”. S84(13) further provides that “where a political party fails to comply with the provision of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.”

This section, truly speaking, disenfranchises political officeholders who are appointees of the governor or president from participating at the primary election of the party either as a delegate or as a candidate.

Hence, all political appointees, contensting in any elections, resign before the party primary elections. The president stalled the Act in court till that clause was removed. Why is the outgoing president so keen on protecting ‘political appointees’ candidacy?

Osinbajo was elected alongside Buhari; hence, he is not the 'appointed' sheep being fought for. Amaechi and Emefelie however fit into the category that benefit from Buhari’s battle with the law. While we’ve established that Amaechi is not Buhari’s type, a game could be in play among all figures in the bid to destabilize a Goliath in the APC camp.

A hypothesis; Osinbajo and Amaechi are only aligned distractions and seat fillers for the primaries. Perhaps, direct arrows at Bola Tinubu's campaign. Both will step aside, or loose the primaries, and maintain their respective political positions after Emefiele wins the APC ticket. In the event that Emefiele loses to Tinubu, he still walks away as CBN's president; thanks to Buhari's amends on the Electoral Act.

We now await the chapter where Emefiele officially declares to join the presidential race. This would likely be announced really close to the APC primaries. The rest of the show is for us to watch, be entertained, and do not forget to pay tithes to the opinion prophet when this prediction comes to manifestation.

*Pulse Editor's Opinion is the viewpoint of an Editor at Pulse. It does not represent the opinion of the Organisation Pulse.