Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking and other Financial Institutions, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, said on Monday that his committee has been unable to screen the nominees for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Board because his committee has not been briefed.

The Senator disclosed this to some newsmen in Abuja when asked whether or not his committee has notice of the nominations.

“It has not been referred to the committee. Thank you,” he replied.

News Express recalls that the Senate, in October, received the nomination of Mrs. Aishah Ahmad as a Deputy Governor of the CBN and President Muhammadu Buhari equally nominated members of the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN.

The nominees, who are to replace four members whose tenure expires at the end of this year, are: Professor Adeola Festus Adenikinju; Dr Aliyu Rafindadi Sanusi; Dr Robert Chikwendu Asogwa and Dr Asheikh A. Maidugu.

A statement by the Presidency on October 5 indicated that the nomination was “In accordance with the provisions of Section 8(1) (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2007.”

But the Senate has refused to consider the nominations ever since, in line with its resolution in April not to screen nominees from the President in protest against the declaration by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who was reported as saying that confirmation of nominees by the Senate was subject to Section 171 of the Constitution.

The only exception thus far was the confirmation in July of the Resident Electoral Commissioners, in order to avoid a constitutional crisis over the 2019 election.

Besides the request for confirmation of MPC members, the Senate has refused to screen nominees including Pension Commission (PenCom), Code of Conduct Bureau (CBB), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) INEC and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

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