By Abiola Olawale
Indications emerging on Friday suggest that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been at the receiving end of heavy pressure over his nomination of Ruby Onwudiwe as a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) board, and may be forced to drop her nomination.
It was gathered that objections have been raised by prominent members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the nomination of Onwudiwe as a member of the CBN board.
The complaints filed were regarding Onwudiwe’s support for Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election. According to reports, Senators Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator Solomon Adeola were said to have championed the cause, expressing their concerns about the propriety of Onwudiwe’s nomination during a meeting with Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The lawmakers were said to have pointed out a tweet made by Onwudiwe where she flaunted her support for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate and a display of the result at her polling unit. This, according to reports, was the reason the APC members protested against an opposition figure serving at the apex bank.
It would be recalled that Tinubu had submitted a request to the Nigerian Senate, urging the confirmation of Onwudiwe as a member of the CBN board of directors.
In a letter addressed to the Senate President and presented during Wednesday’s session in Abuja, Tinubu underscored the importance of Onwudiwe’s appointment by the provisions of the CBN Establishment Act 2007.
“I am pleased to nominate Dr Ruby Onwudiwe for confirmation by the senate as a member of the CBN board of directors.
“It is noteworthy that Onwudiwe is being proposed as a replacement for Mr. Kalu Eke, who is unavailable for the position,” Tinubu stated.
