The Unified Northern Nigeria Youth Forum (UNNYF), which is advocating that Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emefiele, should contest for the country’s number one position, yesterday stormed Nasarawa State in continuation of its consultation with relevant stakeholders in the northern states.

Addressing the Nasarawa State stakeholders in Lafia, the spokesperson of the UNNYF, Aliyu Muhammad Sani, said the forum was in Nasarawa for consultation with relevant stakeholders to join forces with the group in calling on Emefiele to contest for the president of Nigeria come 2023.

Sani explained that the group had embarked on the consultation tour for Emefiele in the spirit of producing a credible, competent and economically endowed leader, whom, “the group believe will consolidate on rapid economic growth that he (Emefiele) has already started in the current position he occupies.”

Sani maintained, “I stand to be corrected, but I dare boldly to say that Dr. Godwin Emefiele’s achievements have reflected in all states of the country and are there for history and posterity to judge.

“It never came easy, it was not done at his comfort zone, rather, it took a lot of courage, foresight, perseverance, determination and hard work to overtook the numerous challenges scavenging on the fragile economy of our dear nation.”

He said Emefiele had on his plate contained and dealt with a 60 per cent decline in the price of crude oil, while geo-political tensions rose and were widespread along critical global trading routes.

In his remarks, Nasarawa State Coordinator for the Northern Nigeria Youth Forum for Emefiele 2023, Faruk Mohammed Ofoku, said the Lafia consultation became necessary considering the youthful inclusion of Nasarawa youth to the decision making process of the state.

According to the coordinator, “The good people of Nasarawa State benefited so much from the good stewardship of the current CBN governor. Nasarawa is the home of solid mineral, Dr. Emefiele’s policies of diversification invested so much in solid mineral resources and agriculture.

“Looking at all these economic and lifesaving interventions of the CBN governor in Nasarawa State and all other northern states, we the progressive Northern Nigerian Youth of Nasarawa State joined the National leadership of our coalition and strongly call on Dr. Godwin Emefiele to please, as matter of urgency, declare to run the President of Nigeria 2023.”

Ofoku said UNNYF’s call was timely due to the fact that the Nasarawa youths wanted their economy, especially mining and agriculture, to be rejuvenated.