In a surprising turn of events, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ruby Onwudiwe as the new member of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the South-East region. This nomination comes as a replacement for the initial nominee, Kalu Eke, who declined the offer due to his engagement at the World Bank and other financial institutions.
President Tinubu formally requested the Senate to confirm Ruby Onwudiwe as a member of the CBN board of directors. In a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu explained that the nomination of Onwudiwe was in compliance with the provisions of section 10, sub-section 1 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Establishment Act, 2007.
The Senate, responsible for the confirmation of nominees, received Tinubu’s letter during a plenary session. The President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, read the letter to the Senate, highlighting that Onwudiwe is replacing the Southeast nominee from Abia State, Kalu Eke, who declined the offer due to his current engagements.
The Senate had previously confirmed four out of the five nominees for the CBN board of directors, namely Robert Agbede, Ado Yakubu Wanka, Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi, and Mrs. Muslimat Olanike Aliyu. However, Kalu Eke did not appear before the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions for screening, leading to his rejection.
With the nomination of Ruby Onwudiwe, President Tinubu aims to fill the vacant position on the CBN board of directors for the South-East region. Onwudiwe’s confirmation by the Senate is now awaited, and it is expected that the Senate will consider and confirm the appointment in its usual expeditious manner.