The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele,Monday told Abuja Federal High Court that he is still in dilemma over his presidential ambition next year.
He said his indecisive of state mind concerning the presidential content caused him to the court for interpretation of section 318 of the 1999 constitution.
He spoke through his counsel,Mike Ozekhome,SAN,in a motion exparte filed before the court praying for an order of court for maintenance of status quo ante bellum as at May 8.
Emefiele had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister to court over his 2023 presidential ambition.
He filed an originating summon against the two defendants
Ozekhome,who moved the motion on behalf of his client,said by Wednesday May 11, the timeline for the collection of expression of interest form for the presidential poll will expire.
“The timeline for the primaries, congresses or conventions of political parties for the presidential election which the applicant is interested in, comes up on the 30th of May and June 1st,2022.We are not asking for an injunction, but due to the urgency of the matter, the applicant needs the protection and canopy of justice to stop the matter from being rendered nugatory and a fait accompli foisted on the applicant, if the court does not issue an order.
“An affidavit of urgency in support of the motion exparte stated that the Plaintiff/Applicant is the current Governor of the CBN and “desires to contest election for the office of the President in 2023″
He said:”The applicant is in a dilemma as to whether to run for the 2023 presidential election or not, and therefore has come to court for interpretation of section 318 of the constitution.Being a public servant, is the applicant a political appointee that is also cut in the web of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act?”
Ozekhome argued that the said section 84(12) of the Electoral Act has been dismissed by Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Umuahia.
According to him, the constitution allows a political appointee with an ambition to contest an election to do so at least 30 days to the election.
He prayed the court to order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
In his ruling, Justice Ahmed Mohammed directed the defendants to come on May 12, to show cause why the applicant’s motion exparte should not be granted.
He further ordered that processes should be served on the defendants before the next adjourned date of May 12.