Governor Godwin Emefiele of the Central Bank of Nigeria has picked up the presidential nomination form of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Peoples Gazette has learnt.

Mr Emefiele’s nomination form was picked up on Friday, following Ondo politician Ajayi Boroffice in series, according. to people familiar with the development.

A spokesman for Mr Emefiele did not return a request seeking comments, and the CBN governor himself declined comments.

The development all but confirms Mr Emefiele’s readiness to contest the 2023 presidential race, and puts to rest speculation about whether or not he would join partisan politics while leading the nation’s central bank. He is the first central bank governor to join active politics and seek an elective position while in office.

His ambition has sparked controversy across business, legal and political lines. He had issued statements previously denying ties to shadow campaigns on his behalf. 

A few weeks ago, pictures of campaign vehicles bearing Mr Emefiele’s photos circulated online, but the CBN governor again issued a statement dissociating himself. 

Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party denounced Mr Emefiele’s involvement in open partisan politics as bordering on economic sabotage and demanded his resignation or ouster. The CBN governor is a tenured appointment, but Mr Emefiele’s predecessor Lamido Sanusi was fired by President Goodluck Jonathan under controversial atmosphere. 

Public-interest lawyer Abdul Mahmud described Mr Emefiele’s action as brazen illegality. 

“This is just beyond contemplation, reason, and logic that a sitting CBN Governor is not only a closet member of a political party, he’s actively taking part in a partisan contest in defiance of Section 1 (3) of of the CBN Act, 2007 which secures the independence of CBN. 

“Section 9 of the Act talks about the Governor having no other vocation than running the CBN. If this isn’t vocation for politics, nothing is. Terrible,” Mr Mahmud said on Twitter in reaction to the news.

People close to Mr Emefiele said he had performed well in office and should be allowed to carry on from President Muhammadu Buhari, who appears to have no objection to the CBN governor’s politics.