Various groups of youths across the country, in their hundreds, stormed the Eagles Square Convention ground of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja Saturday and demanded that the Central Bank Governor (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, should declare his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election without further delay.

The mammoth crowd consisted of women, young professionals and other Nigerians who wore Emefiele’s branded colourful apparels.

They were led by the APC League of Young Professionals, Ethnic Youth Leaders’ Council, and the Emefiele Support Group.

The groups overran the convention ground with calls on the CBN Governor, to contest the presidency in 2023. Addressing the media, the group reiterated the need for a worthy successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He claimed that Nigeria cannot afford to miss the golden opportunity of electing a financial expert and globally renowned economist like Emefiele at this time in Nigeria’s history.

Mallam Kabir Buba, who spoke on behalf of the group, explained the type a leader Nigeria deserves in 2023, added that: “Such a successor must be a professional, loyal to the president, a technocrat, a patriot and detribalised Nigerian.

“He must be one who has been part of the progress recorded in this administration and a less controversial leader.

“Most importantly, he must be a unifier and peace builder, someone to douse the South-south quest for one more term and satisfy the Igbo agitations for the presidency.”

The groups added that Emefiele fits the bill and is the man to continue to consolidate and expand the progressive legacies of President Buhari. The groups’ leaders emphasised the CBN Governor’s patriotism and his irrepressible commitment to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

They said his good character and attributes would make him a worthy successor to the president.

They said: “As an experienced economist with more than 26 years of commercial banking experience, Emefiele is well equipped to place Nigeria amongst developed and wealthy nations in the world.” They insisted that his recorded achievements were too many to mention.

They re-emphasised that Emefiele, having worked in the two political divides, appointed by the Peoples Democratic Party government, and retained by the APC as the CBN Governor, has continued to show great dedication and commitment regardless of political alliances.

According to the groups’ spokesperson, “Over seven years as the CBN Governor, he has saved Nigeria twice from economic recession and created initiatives that target job creation with over seven million jobs.”