There are indications that the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) may have started tracking men suspected to be fronts for Godwin Emefiele, President of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who are allegedly acquiring properties in major cities including Abuja and Lagos ahead of his (Emefiele’s) presidential ambition for the 2023 elections.
Sources informed this newspaper that the NFIU has flagged heavy asset buying by Emefiele’s men ahead of his resignation from the CBN position for his presidential declaration.
The NFIU is an autonomous unit, domiciled within the Central Bank of Nigeria and the central coordinating body for the country’s Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework.
“There are certain strong men from the core north and east who have the CBN governors ears and are known to be his fronts,” one of the sources said.
“Ever since news broke of $20million released for his presidential ambition, both the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos have experienced a boost in the property market.”
“Specifically a northern monarch known to be close to the CBN Governor is under the search light by the NFIU with these investigated excessive buying of choice properties.”
Sahara Reporters had late February reported that the the campaign posters of the CBN Governor had surfaced in Lagos State.
According to the newspaper, the campaign posters were sighted at Surelere and Teslim Balogun Stadium areas of the state.
One of the posters reads, “We the people work to manifest…not as career politicians…Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele…Would you lead THE CHARGE 2023.”
The posters were branded “THE CHARGE” 2023.
SaharaReporters had on Wednesday, February 23, reported that Emefiele, desperately preparing for the presidential race, brought in three air planes for his campaign.
SaharaReporters learnt that Emefiele had also been asked by the cabal in the Muhammadu Buhari presidency supporting his infamous ambition to tender his resignation and focus on his presidential campaign.
Hovever, Emefiele, was quoted by The Punch as saying that it was it is the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari to map out his succession plan while reacting to mounting calls for him to contest for presidency in the 2023 presidential election.
The CBN governor was quoted as speaking when a ‘group of his friends’, tagged ‘Friends of Godwin Emefiele’, visited him to discuss the controversy over his rumoured presidential ambition in 2023.
In a statement issued by the group and obtained by The Cable, Emefiele maintained that he would leave his fate firmly in the hands of God.
“Only yesterday, as the speculation became widespread, a group of his friends under the aegis of FRIENDS OF GODWIN EMEFIELE met with him to clarify his position,” a statement signed by the group, reads.
“Here is what he told us: That he remains focused on his job and will continue supporting the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government’s economic recovery drive; that in his career trajectory, right from his days as a young banker, he never asked, nor lobbied for a job, he was invited by the Board of Directors to be the Chief Executive Officer/Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank as he was an integral part of the team, led by founder Jim Ovia, that transformed Zenith Bank from a start-up to one of Africa’s largest banks with subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, South Africa, Dubai, China and the United Kingdom.”
