Press Release: Suspension Of The Cbn Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi: Corruption At The Top

Posted by African Examiner Press Releases Sunday, February 23rd, 2014

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) received with shock and utter dismay, the embarrassing and shameful suspension of the Central Bank Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Thursday, 20^th February, 2014.

Former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

President Jonathan’s action to say the least smacks of impunity, intolerance of dissent, and contradicts the so-called anti-corruption hype and posture of the PDP-led Federal Government of Nigeria. For the avoidance of doubt, President Jonathan’s action is a brazen violation of Section 11 (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act which states that the removal of Governor, Deputy or Director of CBN by President is subject to the ratification by two-third (2/3) majority of the Senate.

Therefore, TMG considered the removal of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from office as illegality, which must be allowed to stand. It must be condemned and resisted by all lawful and peaceful means necessary. It is damn and worrisome the way and manner the GEJ administration has been massaging and romancing corruption. While Mr. President find it so difficult and in fact refused to sack Princess Stella Oduah, Federal Minister of Aviation despite the resolution of National Assembly to that effect, and in flagrant disregard to public outcry months after she was enmeshed in N250 million bulletproof car scandal until she decided to resign on her own (“to pursue her political career”), it was easy for the same President to convict Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi for a perceived “offence” even when he was on official assignment in Niger Republic. TMG would not forget easily the comfort and convenience with which Mr. President granted presidential pardon to the duo of Alameisiagha, former governor of Bayelsa State and Chief Olabode George, former Chairman of Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) who were Judicially convicted over misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds running into hundreds billions of Naira.

Malam Sansui’s sack coming at a time he revealed some fraudulent and sharp practices going on at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with trillions of Naira not remitted to the Federation Account shows the disdain with which this government has for the fight against corruption.. It is all the more saddening that rather than address the issues raised by whistle blowing Governor Sanusi who only acted in good faith revealing the mess at NNPC, Mr. President has chosen to silence and shut Sanusi out thus pushing the fight against corruption to back seat.
TMG is strongly persuaded that the action of President Jonathan will be challenged by the National Assembly by upturning the suspension order handed down to Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. To do otherwise can well signal the death of anti-corruption and promote the rots and institutional wastes in the Nigerian governance system

TMG urge the anti-corruption agencies to quickly step in to investigate allegations of financial misappropriation and non remittance of oil revenue to the tune of $20 billion dollars as leveled against NNPC by Mallam Lamido Sanusi. With the said huge sum sincerely and carefully plugged back into our economy, Nigeria may well have prepared to overcome many more years of nightmarish woes of youth unemployment, perennial electricity supply and terrorism that bedeviled it in recent times.

In conclusion, TMG call for the unconditional reinstatement of Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to his position as Governor of CBN. We must warn that Nigerian nation is not a personal estate of anybody and any attempt to personal public service as in this case will be resisted.

God bless Nigeria!