Senate begins screening of Cardoso, CBN deputy governor nominees

The senate has begun the screening of Olayemi Cardoso for the position of substantive governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Four deputy governor nominees for the apex bank are also being screened.

The deputy governor nominees are Emem Nnana Usoro, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Philip Ikeazor and Bala Bello.

The upper legislative chamber commenced the process after Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, moved a motion to the effect.

All the nominees have since assumed office in acting capacity following the resignations of Godwin Emefiele as governor of the apex bank and the deputy governors who served with him.

The apex bank said members of the new team assumed their positions after taking the “relevant oaths of office” during a brief ceremony at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.

Cardoso was nominated as the CBN governor by President Bola Tinubu on September 15, 2023.

The nominees will be screened in the “committee of the whole” because the standing committees of the upper legislative chamber have not been inaugurated.

The senate committee on banking has the mandate of oversight of the apex bank and the country’s financial matters.

The senate resumed plenary today after an eight-week recess.