Mr Urum Kalu Eke, a nominee for membership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Board of Directors, has rejected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment for the position.
Mr. Urum Kalu Eke said he was engaged at the World Bank.
He, therefore, rejected the offer through the Senator representing his senatorial district, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
This came to the fore on Thursday, February 29, 2024 during the plenary of the Senate.
The Senate had commenced the screening and confirmation process of the nominees when Kalu dropped the information.
President Tinubu had on February 13, 2024 forwarded the names of Urum and four others for screening and confirmation as members of the board of Directors of the apex bank.
However, at the Senate screening, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) told the upper chamber that Urum, who is a member of his constituency called him on the phone to turn down the offer, saying that it would conflict with his present job as a consultant with the World Bank.
According to Kalu; “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.”
The Senate confirmation was a sequel to the consideration of a report of the screening of the nominees presented by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC-Lagos) who is the Chairman, Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions.
Abiru-led Committee had urged the Senate to receive and consider for confirmation the five nominees 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.
He however said that the Committee did not clear Urum Kalu Eke from Abia State as he failed to appear before the Committee for screening.
