Tokunbo Abiru Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Senator
Tokunbo Abiru
Office1:Senator for Lagos East
Term Start1:December 2020
Predecessor1:Bayo Osinowo
Birth Date:25 March 1964
Birth Place:Lagos State, Nigeria
Education:Harvard Business School
Lagos State University
Occupation:Banker
Party:All Progressives Congress
Spouse:Feyishola Abiru

Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (born 25 March 1964) is a Nigerian banker and politician. He is the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District at the 9th Nigerian National Assembly.[1]

He was the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank Limited, Nigeria. He attended the six-week Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program and Lagos Business School (Senior Management Program).[2] He holds a B.Sc (Economics) from Lagos State University[3] and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an Honorary Senior Member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). On 24 August 2020, Abiru resigned from Polaris Bank to contest the Lagos East senatorial election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.[4]

He was named the chairman, of the Senate Committee on Banking of the 10th senate on 8 August 2023.[5]

Career

He rose to the position of executive director at First Bank Nigeria Ltd (2013–16), and was also the Honourable Commissioner of Finance, Lagos State, between 2011 and 2013 under the dynamic and transformational leadership of Babatunde R. Fashola (SAN) as Governor.[6]

He was appointed in July 2016 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as group managing director to lead the turnaround of the regulator-induced takeover of the then-troubled Skye Bank, in a bid to preserve the stability of the overall Nigerian Financial System. The successful completion of the assignment gave birth to today's Polaris Bank Limited.[7]

Tokunbo has also served on various boards, including Airtel Mobile Networks Limited; FBN Capital Limited (now FBN Quest Merchant Bank Limited); FBN Bank Sierra –Leone Limited; and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS). During this pandemic covid19, he has as donated 150,000 face masks to primary schools in his zone.[8]

Public sector

During Abiru's time as Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, the State floated an N80 billion bond, earning it the EMEA Finance's Best Local Currency Bond Award for 2012.[9] He opened up discussions on taxation in Lagos State after the discovery of over 5.5 million tax evaders in 2013.[10] His efforts also led to increased Land Use Charge revenue generations to the tune of N6.2bn.[11]

Abiru is also a member of the Lagos HOMs Committee, which is in charge of the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (HOMs) instituted to reduce the housing deficit in the State.[12]

He was elected as the senator of Lagos East Senatorial district in a bye-election on December 5, 2020.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mirroring Abiru's strides in Lagos East - The Nation Newspaper . 2022-03-16 . thenationonlineng.net.
  2. News: INEC declare APC Tokunbo Abiru winner of Lagos east senatorial seat. BBC News Pidgin. 2021-03-17.
  3. Web site: CBN appoints Abiru, former Lagos finance commissioner, as Skye Bank CEO. The Cable. 8 July 2016.
  4. Web site: 2020-08-24. Tokunbo Abiru retires from Polaris Bank ahead of the senatorial election to replace Osinowo. 2020-08-26. TheCable. en-US.
  5. Web site: Lawan, Yari, Tambuwal, Oshiomhole, Sani Musa, Others Emerge Senate Committee Chairmen - THISDAYLIVE . 2023-08-08 . www.thisdaylive.com.
  6. Web site: 2020-12-06. Seven things you should know about Lagos East Senator-Elect, Abiru. 2021-03-17. Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. en-US.
  7. Web site: 2020-12-06. Seven things you should know about Lagos East Senator-Elect, Abiru. 2021-03-17. Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. en-US.
  8. Web site: Tokunbo Abiru Archives. 2021-03-17. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US.
  9. Web site: Lagos Bags International Award for Successful Local Bond Issue. Adagba. 2 July 2013. News Herald. 8 July 2016.
  10. Web site: LASG uncovers 5.5m tax evaders in informal sector - Vanguard News. 2013-05-23. en-US. 2016-07-08.
  11. Web site: Lagos rakes in N6.28bn from Land Use Charge. 27 May 2013. Africa Aboard. 8 July 2016.
  12. Web site: Lagos Homes Mortgage Scheme Takes Off As Fashola Inaugurates Board, Website (www.lagoshoms.gov.ng). www.tundefashola.com. 2016-07-08.
  13. News: INEC declare APC Tokunbo Abiru winner of Lagos east senatorial seat. BBC News Pidgin. 2021-02-04.