The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
Lamido Sanusi, has dragged President Goodluck Jonathan
before an Abuja Federal High Court in a suit he filed to
challenge his suspension from office.
In the application filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Kola
Awodein, SAN, Sanusi is asking the court to restrain the
President, the Attorney General of the Federation and the
Inspector General of Police from giving effect to his
purported suspension from office as the CBN governor,
pending the determination of the suit.
He is equally asking the court to make an order of
interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants “from
obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him, in any
manner whatsoever, from performing the functions of his
office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and
enjoying in full, the statutory powers and privileges
attached to the office.”
Urging the court to expeditiously grant his interlocutory
application, Sanusi maintained that any delay may cause
irreparable and serious damage and mischief on him in the
exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN governor.
He stated “The President’s continuing unlawful interference
with the management and administration of the apex bank,
unless arrested, poses grave danger to Nigeria’s
economy.”
He insisted that the danger his suspension posed to the
economy was enough reason for the court to grant his
application and as a result make an order for status quo
ante bellum to enable him to return to his office as the CBN
governor.
In an affidavit deposed in support of the suit, Sanusi linked
his suspension to the discrepancies he reported in the
remittances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
to the Federation Account.
He explained that in the course of his duties as the CBN
governor, he discovered certain discrepancies in respect of
amounts paid into the Federation Account from the
proceeds of crude oil sales between the period of January
2012 and July 2013.
He added that he expressed concern in respect of the said
discrepancies and also informed the National Assembly of
same “because they affect the revenue of the federation and
the national economy.”
Sanusi added that in purporting to suspend him from office,
Jonathan was punishing him for the disclosures he made.
Sanusi stressed that the President did not approach nor
obtain the support of the Senate before suspending him.
He disclosed that some senators, particularly a former
governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, had
informed him that Jonathan did not consult the upper
legislative chamber before taking the action.
“I have been informed, and I verily believe the information
given to me by Senator Bukola Saraki to be true and correct
that the Senate did not give the President any support for
my purported suspension and removal from office as the
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he said.
Sanusi further stated that his purported suspension was
contrary to provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act
relating to the appointment and removal of the CBN
governor.
According to him, his purported suspension amounted to
“unlawful interference in the administration and
management of the apex bank and is illegal, null and void.”
He therefore urged the court, in the interest of justice, to
grant his reliefs.
The suit has not been assigned for hearing.
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