A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined the request of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, from preventing him from running for president.
Emefiele had gone to the court, seeking the right to run in the 2023 election while still serving as the CBN governor.
His lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) told the court that Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act as amended, 2022 does not affect Emefiele, since he is a public servant and not a political appointee.
Mr. Ozekhome also argued that the CBN governor can only be governed by the provisions of section 137(1) (g) and 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which require a public officer seeking election into a political office to resign, withdraw or retire from his appointment at least 30 days to the presidential election.
In its ruling, the court summoned INEC and AGF to appear before it on 12 May to show cause on why existing conditions should not be granted to the CBN governor.
