Emefiele denies working against Tinubu, donating N500m to LP

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has denied working against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Emefiele also described as fake news the report that he donated N500 million to the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday, March 13 by the Acting Director, Corporate Communications of CBN, Dr. Isa Abdulmumin.

Emefiele was responding to a report in The Nation newspaper wherein the CBN Governor was accused of plotting against Tinubu in Lagos State.

In the statement titled, ‘Re- Emefiele launches fresh plot against President-elect Tinubu’, a copy of which was made available to The Star, Emefiele said he is not involved in politics.

The statement read: “The attention of the CBN has been drawn to a story published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, March 13, 2023 edition, alleging that the Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele has launched a ‘fresh plot against President-elect’.

The aforementioned story went further to allege that the Governor has made certain amount of money available to a political aspirant ahead of March 18, 2023 gubernatorial poll.

“We wish to inform members of the public that this story is completely false and malicious as the Governor does not know and has never met or even spoke with Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour either in person or through proxy.

“We wish to reiterate that the CBN Governor does not take part in Politics and therefore urge anyone with contrary information to prove the Governor wrong should provide such facts.

“As such the Governor and team at the CBN should be allowed to focus on their assigned job with a view to achieving statutory mandates of the Bank.”

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The report had alleged that “the N500m windfall, which was mobilised through Emefiele’s agents in Lagos, was described as “Oga’s own contribution to the take over Lagos from Tinubu’s influence now that he has won the presidency in Abuja”.

The report added that the cash bonanza is intended to put GRV at advantage over two other major contestants.

The CBN boss was alleged to be an enthusiastic promoter of the “Igbo agenda” to install “our own in Alausa come May 29”.

“To perfect the plot, the cooperation of the General Officer Commanding Officer (GOC) of an elite army division located on Victoria Island, who is of Igbo extraction (name withheld), is also said to have been secured by Emefiele through cash inducement. He is expected to provide “military muscle” to the “Igbo agenda” to take over Lagos. He was said to have similarly played a “spoiler role” on February 25 by deliberately deploying troops of Igbo extraction to provide “cover” for the massive rigging in Ajah, Lekki areas in favour of LP’s Peter Obi.

“The serving Major General also provided “cover” for the massive rigging reported in Amuwo-Odofin, Ojo, Alaba and Iba areas. For instance, troops at his behest reportedly “detained” the Oniba of Ibala-land in his palace literally, ostensibly to “prevent him from being able able to mobilise his people to vote Tinubu”. Troops similarly invaded the palace of Elegushi in Ikate land and openly brutalised APC supporters in viral videos. Oba Saheed Elegushi is known to be a staunch Tinubu supporter,” the newspaper report had alleged.

The Star