Who go be di next CBN board member-nominee from di South-East?

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu go begin anoda search for di 5th member of di Board of Directors for di Central Bank of Nigeria, afta di reported withdrawal of Ruby Onwudiwe.

Tori be say di withdrawal of Onwudiwe nomination na becos of her open support for di opposition Labour Party during di 2023 general elections.

Di tori tok say some top members of di APC bin no dey happy about di development, especially di fact say Onwudiwe bin dey very vocal for her X handle (formerly known as Twitter) of her support for LP.

BBC Pidgin no fit reach President Tinubu toktok person, Ajuri Ngelale, for phone as im phone dey switched off, and e neva respond to message wey we send am.

Onwudiwe na di second pesin from di South-East region of di kontri wey im nomination for dis same position no get head.

Di first pesin na Urum Kalu-Eke, a former oga for World Bank, wey bin reject di nomination afta Presido Tinubu announce im name.

According to di members of di Senate Committee on Banking Insurance and oda Financial Institutions, Urum Kalu-Eke no even bother to attend di screening process and e no send any letter.

Why dis position dey prove problematic to fill?

According to di law wey establish di Central Bank of Nigeria, di bank suppose get five members for di board of directors, and na di president of di kontri get power to appoint dis members.

However, in making di appointment, "di President go get due regard to a fair representation of di financial, agricultural, industrial and commercial interests and di principle of Federal Character", according to section 10(1) of di CBN Act.

Di Federal Character principle na constitutional provision wey dey intended to make sure say appointments for goment positions dey always show di diversity for Nigeria, make goment or any of im agency no go dey dominated by pipo from a particular state or ethnic group.

Already, four members of di CBN board don dey confirmed, namely: Robert Agbide, Ado Yakubu Wanga, Murtala Sagaley, and Olayinka Aliyu, remaining one person wey suppose come from di South East region, to reflect di Federal Character principle.

Di All Progressives Congress (APC) wey be di party of President Tinubu no dey popular for di South-East region. In fact, na dia di president get im lowest number of votes for di last election.

"I think say di question now no be about availability of pipo from di South East region wey get capacity to be on di board of di CBN. The issue na willingness of di individuals to serve in dat capacity," said Dr Okey Okere wey be economic analyst.

"But in my opinion, e no suppose be like dat. Na professional competence suppose be di major criteria for selecting candidates, or for di nominated candidates to accept di position. Na opportunity to serve di nation, political affiliation no suppose matter hia."

Who fit be di next nominee?

According to di CBN Act, to become director for di bank one gatz be "a person of recognized standing and experience in any of economics, law, public administration, business administration, accounting, banking and finance".

However, once e don become director, "e no go hold office as a Director for di Board of any Federal, State or Local Government or of any other body".

Dr Okere tok say pipo plenty from di South East region wey fit di profile and get capacity to sit on di CBN board.

"I no see any difficulty for di President to nominate anoda candidate from di region. Many many pipo dey from di region wey go fit dat position, and I dey sure say e go don dey consider two or three candidates sef."