SENATE CONFIRMS EMEFIELE AS NEW CBN GOVERNOR, BULKACHUWA AS PRESIDENT OF APPEAL COURT

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Mr. Godwin Emefiele without a dissenting voice.

Emefiele was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan, shortly after Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was suspended by the President for alleged financial recklessness.

Mr. Godwin I. Emefiele from Agbor, Delta State, served as Chief Executive officer and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. He served as Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. since 2001.

Also served as Executive Director in charge of Corporate Banking, Treasury, Financial Control and Strategic Planning of Zenith Bank Plc. and had been Management team since inception. Mr. Emefiele has over eighteen years of banking experience. Mr. Emefiele serves as Director at Zenith Bank Plc and Zenith Bank (Gambia) Limited.

Before commencing his banking career, he has lectured Finance and Insurance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Port Harcourt, respectively. Mr. Emefiele serves as Director of ACCION Microfinance Bank Limited.

He is also an alumnus of Executive Education at Stanford University, Harvard University (2004) and Wharton Graduate Schools of Business (2005). Mr. Emefiele holds a B.Sc Degree in 1984 and an MBA Degree in Finance in 1986, both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Senator Bukola Saraki speaking on the newly confirmed CBN Governor, stated that he was impressed with his candor and the character he exhibited during the screening.

”It would have been typical considering the current political atmosphere for him to come belittling his predecessor’s achievements and competence, but he chose against expectation to rise above the tide of mudslinging to stand in the path of truth praising the achievements of his predecessor and upholding the basic principles of independence of the CBN as a primer of an efficient Central Bank.”

”The Nominee also impressed me with the depth of his knowledge and understanding of the challenge we face as a country and the critical role his position as governor of CBN can play in getting us out of the woods.” said Saraki.

The upper legislative chamber also cleared Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa as the substantive President of Appeal Court.

Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa was born in March 1950 and was called to the Bar in 1976. She was elevated to the Appeal Court in 1998, representing Gombe State.

She had worked as a judge in the High Court of Bauchi State and served as the Chief Judge of Gombe State.

The duo were cleared after hours of questioning by the committee of the Whole Senate.