By Olusegun Emmanuel, Abuja.
The senate has scheduled the screening of the two nominees by President Goodluck Jonathan’s nominees for the positions of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the President, Court of Appeal, Mr Godwin Emefiele and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, respectively for Wednesday to enable it covered live on television.
Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe said the two nominees would be screened on Live television at its plenary session, while the screening of the Deputy Governor of the apex bank Mr. Adelabu Adekola, would be done by Committee on Banking and Currency.
Adekola’s name was sent to the senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for the position of Deputy Governor of CBN along with that of Emefiele last month on the same day Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was suspended as the CBN Governor.
Abaribe explained that the decision for separate handling of the screening was in line with the relevant rules and constitution.
Briefing Journalists in Abuja today, Sen. Abaribe, disclosed that the live coverage of the two screenings would be carried out by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) which according to him, will give Nigerians, the opportunity to witness, firsthand, the screening of the two individuals whose functions will be very vital to both the dispensation of Justice in Nigeria and management of our economy.
“I want to confirm that tomorrow, (Today), in line with the constitutional provisions and the senate rules, we will do the screening and confirmation of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for two persons: Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa as President of the Court of Appeal and Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he said.
“Both event will be aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority. I am very certain that it will give Nigerians the opportunity to witness, firsthand, the screening of the two individuals that are very vital to both the dispensation of Justice in Nigeria and management of our economy”.
He added that there was nothing unconstitutional in the screening of the nomination of Emefiele as new CBN Governor ahead of June when the vacancy for such position will be available with the expected expiration of Sanusi’s tenure.
He said was nowhere in the constitution where it is stated that such a screening should be done at the end of expiration of tenure of the incumbent.
His words: There is nothing unconstitutional in the screening of CBN Governorship nominee. Every person that will emerge as the CBN governor, must be screened and there is nothing in the constitution that says that he will be screened only after the end of the tenure of the present incumbent.
“ In fact, good sense means that we should screen somebody and go through all the processes so that on the date that the tenure of the incumbent ends he could handover to his successor. So we should not allow for lacuna in the process and that is why we are taking this process to make sure that there is no gap at all and of course, three months give us enough time for us to go through this process in such a way that whosoever Nigerians want as the new CBN governor, they will get it and will resume when the tenure of the current occupant ends”.
