THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA......THE PRESIDENT CONSIDERS SOUTH WEST CANDIDATES.

Source

Amid intense lobbying by candidates hoping to succeed the incumbent Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, indications have emerged that President Goodluck Jonathan is looking towards the South-West for the plum job.

Sanusi’s five-year single term tenure expires in June and he has consistently said he will not seek a second term in office.

Among those reportedly vying for the position of the CBN governor are the Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; Managing Director, Firtsank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Bisi Onasanya; and Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi.

Others are the four Deputy Governors, Mr. Tunde Lemo (Operations); Dr. Kingsley Moghalu (Financial System Stability); Dr. Sarah Alade (Economic Policy); and Alhaji Suleiman Barau (Corporate Services Directorate); as well as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; and the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama.

Out of the lot, Onasanya, Alade and Lemo are from the South-West region, while Aganga is representing Lagos State in the federal cabinet, though originally from Edo State in the South-South region.

A source told one of our correspondents in Abuja on Sunday that although the President had not picked any candidate for the post, he was keen on fulfilling a promise he made to some Yoruba leaders a few months ago.

The South-West leaders had during a visit to the President complained about the alleged marginalisation of the zone, especially in the area of political appointments under Jonathan’s administration.

The source said the President promised to reserve some key political appointments for the region in order to redress the perceived imbalance against the South-West in political appointments by the administration.

A senior government official, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said since last week when Sanusi reportedly fell out of favour with the President, a lot of politicking had been going on among the contenders for the office.

The source said, “You know that the appointment of the CBN governor is a political rather than a technical decision and remember that we are in a pre-election year where a lot of politicking is going on.

“Within the last one month, a lot of names have been brandished and I can tell you that some of those people have started serious campaigns and lobbying.

“But, again, there are feelers that whoever will become the CBN governor will have to be someone that is a friend of the President because I am sure that unlike Sanusi, the Presidency will not want to appoint anyone that will not be loyal to Jonathan.”