Abuja – Central Bank of Nigeria governor Godwin Emefiele will join the race for president next February on an All Progressives Party (APC) ticket, a spokesman for the ruling party said on Friday.
President Muhammadu Buhari will step down after serving two four-year terms, following a February 23, 2023 ballot. His ruling APC has set its presidential primaries for May 30-31.
Emefiele will go head-to-head with current Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos state governor Asiwaju BolaTinubu, who are frontrunners in the race to be the next candidate to head Africa's top economy.
Political parties in Nigeria should pick presidential candidates by June 3, according to the electoral commission, while official campaigning will begin in September.
Last month, Osinbajo officially declared his intention to contest for the 2023 presidency.
He made his declaration to contest for the apex seat on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Osinbajo called on Nigerians to consider him for the Presidency based on his wealth of experience and commitment to democratic norms.
He noted that he had come a long way in public administration, having served as Justice Commissioner and Attorney-General of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and as Vice President since 2015, said the report.
In the declaration statement shared on his official Facebook page, Osibanjo said: “In these seven years, while on the train of duty and service, I traversed every part of our country, meeting Nigerians of every cadre, class, tribe, and walk of life, both young and old; I MET YOU."