One of five nominees appointed by President Bola Tinubu as members of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Urum Kalu-Eke, has declined the appointment. However, the Senate has confirmed four others as members of the board of directors of the apex bank. Those confirmed are Mr. Robert Agbide, Mr. Ado Yakubu Wanka, Prof. Murtala Sabo Sagagi, and Mrs. Muslimat Olanike Aliyu. President Tinubu had forwarded the names of Kalu-Eke and four others to the Senate for confirmation. Kalu-Eke was absent during the screening conducted by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions.
The nominee’s action was announced yesterday when the Red Chamber considered the report of the committee chaired by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos East). Recommending the four nominees for confirmation, Abiru said: “The nominee (Kalu-Eke) did not appear before the committee for screening. Therefore, the committee can’t recommend him for confirmation.”
The plenary was presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin. Reacting to the development, former Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu explained why Kalu-Eke turned down the appointment. Kalu, who described Kalu-Eke as a member of his constituency, told the Senate that the nominee called him, saying he was engaged and consulting for some public and private bodies within and outside the country. The Abia North senator said the nominee told him that accepting to serve on the board of the CBN would “conflict” with the work he was doing.
