Senate insists on not considering Buhari’s nominees
• Renews call for Magu’s replacement • President nominates Adamu as CBN deputy governor
RELYING on a judgment by an Abuja division of the Federal High Court, which affirmed its powers to confirm or reject the president’s appointments, the Senate is insisting that it would never consider nominations submitted by the president to it. Key among the president’s nominations that have been kept in abeyance by the Senate because of the impasse include the nomi- nee for the position of Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and four members of the apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
The Senate specifically declared that the failure of the CBN to form a quorum for the meeting of the MPC should be blamed on the presidency that had failed to do the right thing by complying with the constitution and the law on appointments.
Senate Spokesman, Aliu Sabi Abdullahi, who briefed journalists on the development yesterday stated: “By this court judgement, for those who have been worried that the Monetary Policy Committee never met, I think this is a window for the MPC to see the light in meeting.’’
Over 40 other nominations including heads and board members of the Pension Commission (PenCom), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) are also being kept in abeyance.
Already, impasse between the Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, is producing gra ve consequences for the economy . The Senate also renewed its call for immediate replacement of Magu by the president through the nomination of another person for confirmation.
The Senate had in 2016 rejected the appointment of Magu after receiving a letter from the Department of State Services (DSS) declaring that Magu failed integrity test.
Meanwhile, President Buhari has nominated Mr. Edward Lametek Adamu to the Senate for confirmation as Deputy Governor of CBN. A statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina yesterday said the nomination contained in a letter dated January 26, 2018 to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, is in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(1) (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (Establishment) Act 2007.