On Thursday, February 29, the Senate confirmed four of the five nominees for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Board of Directors.
At a meeting on Thursday, February 29, 2024, the Upper Chamber stated that the consent was granted under sections 6(1), (2) (d), and 10 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, representing Lagos East, submitted and considered a report that led to the confirmation.
Initially, the candidates scheduled to appear before the Upper Chamber included Robert Agbede, Ado Yakubu Wanka, Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi-Urum, Kalu Eke, and Muslimat Olanike Aliyu.
However, in his report, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, explained that only four of the five nominees (Robert Agbede, Ado Yakubu Wanka, Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi, and Muslimat Olanike Aliyu) appeared for the screening exercise.
Urum Kalu Eke, the Southeast nominee, did not attend the session.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, rose to explain that Mister Urum Kalu Eke, who is also one of his constituents, informed him of his desire to decline the job in order to prevent a potential conflict of interest.
According to him, Senator Kalu Uruk Eke, a consultant with the World Bank and other international financial institutions, may not have enough time to perform optimally in his new position.