The group, at a briefing in Lagos on Saturday, said it had analysed other aspirants that had shown interest or were rumoured to be interested in the 2023 presidency and believed the CBN boss would be the best for the position.

The convener of the group, Mr Wale Fapohunda, said, “Our mission is to plead with, if possible, compel Mr Godwin Emefiele to run for the presidency in 2023. We need to move away from the norm; we can see the rate of growth in the country.

“He was employed by the Peoples Democratic Party but when President Muhammadu Buhari came on board, he decided to retain him due to his prowess. Some persons will challenge the choice of Emiefiele on the basis that a sound understanding of economic policies alone is not enough to run a country as diverse as Nigeria.

“Therefore, I think it is imperative to list some of Emiefele’s achievements that are not exclusively tied to his roles and office as the CBN governor. Specifically, he has inspired the rice revolution through its famous Anchor Borrower’s Programme, which has led to a near-zero importation of rice into the country.

“He has been at the fore of pushing for a diversification of the country’s revenue base with emphasis on agriculture and small businesses.”

Also, a leader of the Youth Alliance for Good Governance, Mr Akin Osomo, said, “We believe in him; he has done so well in his job at the apex bank. At this time, we need to divert from the usual way of electing typical politicians, we need a technocrat and we believe with the way he has handled the economy, he will be able to deliver on the job.”