President Goodluck Jonathan through his spokesman announced to a bewildered country the suspension of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Sanusi was in Niger Republic for an official duty when he heard about his suspension. What a way to relieve a government official of his job!
The suspension was among other allegations as a result of “financial recklessness and misconduct, which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline”.
The presidency did not waste time in shopping for Sanusi’s replacement, in the person of Zenith Bank Chief Executive, Godwin Emefiele.
One wonders why the haste to replace Sanusi. Is he already guilty even before the conclusion of the said on-going investigations into breaches of enabling laws, due process and mandate of CBN? I am not a fan of Sanusi but I find it curious and unbelievable that the government should gloss over alleged financial recklessness since about May last year until Sanusi raised alarm over unremitted oil revenue.
The CBN Act gives power to the President to sack, and not suspend, the apex bank’s boss, only with a two third majority of the Senate. I think the Senate should rise above partisanship and ensure that its rights are not usurped and undermined by the presidency.
The removal of Sanusi is seen by many Nigerians as witch-hunt and belated attempt by the administration to stop further revelations coming from Sanusi from spilling the beans of corruption which the NNPC represents. No doubt Sanusi has rattled the cabal stealing from our national coffers with impunity and they are not happy with him. His sack is a way to cover up the sleaze in the Nigerian oil corporation and its subsidiaries.
However, before booting out Sanusi from office, the lid of corruption cauldron has been opened. Nigerians are better informed about the monumental corruption going on and are asking questions.
The expenditure of monies that are supposed to go into the federation account by the NNPC without appropriation is a violation of the constitution that should attract punishment to the violators. However, instead of doing the needful, the government has shoved Sanusi aside for blowing the whistle on them.
Some Nigerians who know the wrongdoing going on in the system may want to bury the truth in order not to be the next victim, but one is aware that the conscience of the culprits will judge them before the supreme judgement of God. Sanusi’s suspension is certainly not the death of truth in Nigeria.
Okey Ifeachor,
Abuja
