Tony Elumelu, the Nigerian billionaire and Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), has refuted rumors circulating about his potential appointment as the next Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Since the suspension of Godwin Emefiele in June, Folashodun Shonubi has been serving as the acting Governor of the CBN. Upon assuming office, President Tinubu made a commitment to conduct a thorough assessment of the Central Bank’s operations.
Read : Apply Now: Yemi Osinbajo Partners UNESCO to Train Nigerian Youths, Releases Application Link
Addressing the speculation, Elumelu took to his official Twitter account on August 1, 2023, to dismiss the claims as “false news.” In his tweet, he humorously responded with, “LOL. No, please. This is false news!”
There appears to be a close and friendly relationship between President Tinubu and Tony Elumelu. Shortly after being declared the winner of the presidential election on March 7, 2023, Tinubu paid a visit to Elumelu at his residence. A viral video captured the moment when Elumelu warmly greeted Tinubu, hailing him as “The last man standing!” Tinubu reciprocated with a broad grin and warm gestures.
During this visit, the president-elect was accompanied by his son, Seyi, and Elumelu took the opportunity to acknowledge Seyi and express his admiration for Tinubu, saying, “Seyi, you must be very proud of your father, just as he is proud of you. He’s a good man.”
Furthermore, Elumelu recently visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, as reported by Punch. After their closed-door meeting, Elumelu spoke to journalists, describing their discussion as “private” and expressing support for Tinubu’s policies. He stated, “The private sector is encouraged by the bold decisions President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken, and we hope that in due time, Nigerians will benefit from them, as it is all about the Nigerian people.”
