Urum Kalu Eke, former Group Managing Director, First Bank Holdco, has explained that he declined his nomination for membership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Board of Directors because the role would conflict with his job as a consultant to the World Bank and other organisations.
This was made public during the Thursday plenary when the Senate began the process for the confirmation of the nominees.
President Bola Tinubu had on February 13 forwarded the names of Urum and four others for confirmation as members of the board for the CBN.
But during the confirmation, former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, (APC, Abia North ) told the Senate that Ekeh, who is 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.
“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," Senator Kalu said.
Meanwhile, the Senate has confirmed the appointment of four other members of the Board of Directors of the CBN forwarded to it by the President.
Those confirmed by the Senate on Thursday as Directors are Robert Agbede; Ado Yakubu Wanka; Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi and Mrs. Muslimat Olanike Aliyu.
The 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 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.
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