Senate commences Emefiele’s screening

By Tunde Opalana, Abuja 

Less than a week after his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate on Tuesday commenced the screening of Godwin Emefiele for a second term as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

To this end, the Senate has referred the executive request of the President to its Committee on Banking and Finance for further legislative action and is expected to report back within a week.

The screening followed a motion under executive communication moved by the Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and seconded by Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP/FCT) at plenary presided over by President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

Sen. Lawan (APC/Yobe) in moving the motion said that “I present the executive communication to the house, that the Senate do consider the request of Mr. President C-in-C on the renewal of the appointment of Gowdin I. Emefiele as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in accordance with Section 8 (1) and (2) of the CBN Act 2007.”

Recall that President Buhari had on May 8 written a letter to the Senate requesting the re-appointment of Emefiele for a second term of five years as CBN governor, following the expiration of his tenure.

The letter from the President had said: “In view of the expiration of the first tenure of the current governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on June 2, 2019 and pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 (1) and (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, I hereby present for confirmation by the Senate Mr. Godwin I. Emefiele for re-appointment as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for a final term of five years.”