CBN Director-Nominee Rejects Tinubu’s Appointment

Urum Kalu Eke, nominated from the South-East region of the country to be a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Board of Directors, has rejected the offer.

Eke during the Thursday plenary when the Senate began the process for the confirmation of the nominees said that he was currently engaged in the World Bank.

President Bola Tinubu had on February 13 forwarded Eke and four other nominees to the Senate for confirmation as members of the apex bank board.

However, during the confirmation, former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji  Kalu, representing Abia North Senatorial District told the Senate that the person who is in his constituent had called him on the phone to reject the offer, noting that it would conflict with his present job as a consultant with the World Bank.

According to PUNCH, Senator Kalu was quoted as saying that “The nominee told me this role would conflict with his job as a consultant to the World Bank, Federal Government agencies and other private companies.”

The Senate therefore confirmed the appointment of the four other nominees as members of the CBN Board of Directors.

Those confirmed by the Senate on Thursday as members of CBN Board of Directors were Robert Agbede; Ado Yakubu Wanka; Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi and Mrs. Muslimat Olanike Aliyu.

Their confirmation was sequel to the consideration of a report of the screening of the nominee presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions by the Chairman, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, (APC, Lagos East).

Abiru reportedly said “That the Senate do receive and consider the report of on the confirmation of the nomination of the following Five (5) persons as members of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria in accordance with section 6(1), (2) (d) and 10 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

He said that the Committee did not clear Urum Kalu Eke from Abia because he failed to appear before the Committee for screening.