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Aisha Ahmad, other nominees, pawn in Senate, Executive standoff

Published

9 years ago

October 26, 2017

By Odunewu Segun

Aisha Ahmad, CBN’s Deputy Governor Nominee and several other new nominees are being used by the Senate to blackmail President Buhari into sacking the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu before being confirmed, National Daily has gathered.

President Muhammadu Buhari, had nominated Ahmad as well as Adeola Adenikinju, Aliyu Sanusi, Robert Asogwa and Asheikh Maidugu, who are expected to replace four members of the MPC Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) whose tenures expire at the end of this year.

Speaking recently, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabu Aliyu Abdullahi, gave the hint when he said the subject of that resolution has not been addressed.

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He said until the Magu matter is resolved, all other confirmation requests would remained pending before the Senate. “I’m afraid that is still the position of the Senate. There was no time that resolution was reconsidered and there are quite a number of confirmation requests still pending before the Senate.”

The Senate has twice refused to confirm Magu due to a negative report from the Department of State Services (DSS). Despite this, the Executive has kept him in office.

Vice President Osinbanjo stated that Magu did not need confirmation from the Senate, which further strained the relationship between the two arms. The upper chamber, has since then declined to confirm nominees for the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).

With the refusal of the Senate to confirm these nominees, it means critical decisions at the apex bank, and other parastatals will be suspended.

The Monetary Policy Committee may also not be able to form a quorum at its next meeting. The MPC, sets the country’s interest rate and liquidity ratios for commercial banks.