The Senate President, David Mark, has confirmed that the Senate would on Wednesday screen the Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele for the position of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa as President, Court of Appeal.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on February 20th written to the Senate stating the names of Mr Godwin Emefiele and and Mr Adebayo Adelabu as nominees for the positions of CBN governor and deputy governor respectively.
President Jonathan in the letter stated that the appointment of Mr Emefiele was because of the forthcoming expiration of the suspended governor of the bank, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on June 2nd this year.
Presenting Jonathan’s request to the senate, the leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, said the request to confirm Bulkachuwa was in accordance with section 238(1) of the 1999 constitution, adding that that of Emefiele was in line with section 81(1) and (2) of the CBN Act 2007.
Jonathan had on February 20, forwarded the name of Emefiele to the Senate for consideration and confirmation as the new CBN Governor to take over from Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi whose tenure expires in June.
Sanusi is currently on suspension for alleged financial recklessness amongst several other allegations.
On March 19, the President forwarded the name of Bulkachuwa to the Senate for confirmation as the new President of the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile Mark has directed the various committees in the Upper Legislative Chamber to submit their budget to the Appropriation Committee latest by Wednesday.
Mark, who gave the directive during plenary, warned that if any committee failed to meet the Wednesday deadline, the Senate would be compelled to pass the budget estimates as presented by the executive.
