The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has denied giving the governorship candidate of Labour party in Lagos state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour,  N500 million ahead of the March 18 state Governorship election.

A report published by the Nation on March 13 claimed that the apex bank has released N500 million in new banknotes to shore up the campaign of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos state. According to the publication, Emefiele is determined to influence the outcome of the March 18  governorship election in Lagos State against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

‘’It was learnt that the N500 million windfall was mobilised through high-level CBN agents in Lagos. It was described as “Oga’s own contribution to the takeover-Lagos-from- Tinubu’s-influence, now that he has become the president-elect and will be relocating to Abuja”.

It was learnt that Emefiele had worked to ensure that Tinubu did not emerge as presidential candidate and president-elect. Sources said the cash bonanza is intended to give undue advantage to the LP candidate, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, over the two other major contestants – incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC  and Mr. Olajide Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  whose campaign and mobilisation have been seriously affected by the cash squeeze caused by Emefiele’s Naira redesign policy.

Besides, Emefiele, who hails from Delta North, is said to be an enthusiastic promoter of the “Igbo agenda” to install “our own in Alausa come May 29”.  the report reads in part

In a statement released March 13 by the CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isa Abdulmumin, Emefiele said the report is false and malicious and that he has never met Rhodes-Vivour either in person or by proxy. The apex bank mentioned that Emefiele does not engage in politics.

See the statement below