A group, Friends of Godwin Emefiele, has said the sponsored negative reports on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, are aimed at tainting his image.
The group, in a statement on Tuesday, said the attacks were being sponsored by those who see Emefiele as a major threat to their political ambition.
The statement read, “In the past few weeks, there have been media reports on the purported interest of the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, in the 2023 presidential race, leading to stampede by interested parties and vested interests who are resorting to all sorts of blackmail, sponsored articles and choreographed comments on social media targeted at tainting Godwin Emefiele’s image, impugning his character and legacy.
“Truth is Godwin Emefiele has not confirmed to anyone he is running for President even as he is constitutionally qualified to do so; he has been under pressure in the past few weeks as different groups have been putting up unsolicited campaigns for his candidacy.
“Indeed, when Emefiele assumed the position of the CBN Governor in June 2014, his task was huge, the challenges seemed insurmountable. Today, despite huge headwinds, he has calmed the waters and put Nigeria back on the path of growth.
“Apparently, those behind the sponsored negative reports are afraid of Emefiele’s towering personality and service to Nigeria. But they must understand that he cannot be stampeded any way.
He is focused on delivering the mandate of the Central Bank; he is rebuilding the economy of the country through import substitution policies and using agriculture to create a new rural middle class from the ground up.”
The group added that those who continue to criticise the rice pyramid were too ashamed of giving glory to whom it was due.
It added, “Emefiele is focused on his unfinished job and should not be distracted. One issue the critics have continued to raise is the issue of the rice pyramid which was recently unveiled in Abuja. But these armchair critics have failed to understand that through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, an initiative that was introduced by the Emefiele-led CBN, the lives of a lot of rural farmers have been transformed.
“The rice pyramid which had taken place previously in Minna, Kebbi, Gombe, Ekiti and Abuja, showed how Emefiele has used agriculture to support the Federal Government’s wars on insecurity.
“The Anchor Borrowers’ Programme has been described as a major agricultural breakthrough and a source of pride to the country, as farmers, especially rice farmers, have continued to count gains under the scheme.
“The programme has increased banks’ finance to the agricultural sector and enhanced capacity utilisation of agricultural firms. From an average yield of 1.8 metric tonnes per hectare in the pre-ABP era, the initiative has increased the country’s average yield per hectare for rice paddy and maize to about five metric tonnes per hectare.”
