South-East Nominee Rejects Tinubu’s Appointment In CBN Board Members

A nominee for membership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Board of Directors, Urum Kalu Eke, has declined the offer, citing his current engagement with the World Bank.

Naija News reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had submitted five names, including Urum, to the Senate for confirmation as board members of the CBN.

However, during the plenary earlier, the former Governor of Abia State, Senate Orji Kalu, informed the Senate that Urum had personally contacted him to reject the offer.

Senator Kalu explained that the nominee emphasized that accepting the position would conflict with his current role as a consultant at the World Bank.

He said, “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.”

However, the Senate has officially approved the nomination of four additional members to the CBN Board of Directors, as proposed by the President.

The confirmed Directors include Robert Agbede, Ado Yakubu Wanka, Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi, and Mrs. Muslimat Olanike Aliyu.

This decision follows a thorough review of the nominee’s credentials during a screening process led by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions, Naija News understands.

Abiru 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.”

According to him, the Committee did not clear Urum Kalu Eke from Abia because he failed to appear before the Committee for screening.