VANGUARD – The stage is set for a showdown between the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Lamido Sanusi and the Presidency over when he will step down from office. Sanusi is insisting he would remain in office till June 2 when his tenure expires.
Sanusi’s insistence on staying in office till June this year followed the storm provoked by President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly ordering him to resign as reported by a national newspaper yesterday over allegedly leaking a letter Sanusi wrote to him (President) claiming that $49.8bn oil revenue was missing.
Sanusi’s position has received support from lawyers who said that the President lacks the constitutional powers to direct the Governor of the Central Bank to resign from office. Most of the lawyers, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, maintained that only a two-third majority of the Senate can validly sack the CBN governor from office.
The senators on their part, however, told Vanguard that the President was yet to inform the senate of his decision to remove Sanusi as the CBN Governor.
On their part, Economic operators called on the President to follow due process, in his attempt to remove Sanusi from office. They said while the President has the power to fire Sanusi, he should do so according to the terms and conditions of the office.
CBN sources confirmed to Vanguard that Sanusi has made up his mind to resist any attempt to force him out of office before June 2 when his tenure expires.
This position was further confirmed by the CBN’s spokesman, Mr. Ugo Okoroafor. According to him, Mallam Sanusi told members of the management at a meeting on Wednesday that he would be in office till June and did not even indicate that he might proceed on any terminal leave before completing his tenure.
Okoroafor’s words: “He told us at the meeting we held, yesterday, that he will be leaving in June and did not give any indication that he would proceed on retirement leave before that time.”
Sanusi is relying on CBN Act 2007 which defines the tenure, appointment and removal of the CBN governor.
What the law says
Section 11(2f) of the CBN Act 2007, says: “The Governor, Deputy Governor or Director shall cease to hold office in the Bank if he: (a) becomes of unsound mind or, owing to ill health, is incapable of carrying out his duties; (b) is convicted of any criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction except for traffic offences or contempt proceedings arising in connection with the execution or intended execution of any power or duty conferred under this Act or the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act; (c) is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties under this Act; (d) is disqualified or suspended from practicing his profession in Nigeria by order of a competent authority made in respect of him personally; (e) becomes bankrupt; (f) is removed by the President: Provided that the removal of the Governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.
Sanusi: presidency keeps mum
Sanusi: presidency keeps mum
The Presidency, yesterday, kept mum over reports that the president had asked the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to resign. Though the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati had promised to react to the story before the end of the day, several attempts to reach him, last night failed.
President yet to inform Senate
The Senate, yesterday, said it had not received any communication from President Goodluck Jonathan over his alleged plan to sack Sanusi over his role in the alleged missing $49.8 billion and so, would reserve its position on whether it would support or kick against the alleged planned action.
The Senate, yesterday, said it had not received any communication from President Goodluck Jonathan over his alleged plan to sack Sanusi over his role in the alleged missing $49.8 billion and so, would reserve its position on whether it would support or kick against the alleged planned action.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Enyinaya Abaribe, told Vanguard that the Senate would not want to be dragged into the controversial issue since there was no correspondence from the president to that effect.
He said: “The Senate will resume on Tuesday and we have no such information before us. Until we resume and get communicated by Mr President on the issue, we cannot take any position on that yet. For now, I am sure we don’t have any such information. Until we resume and such information comes before us, we cannot as a Senate respond to that.”
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, PDP, Akwa Ibom North East, said: “Well, I am not aware of that and so I cannot comment on an issue I am not aware of. Besides, there is no letter or indication to that effect to my knowledge. I cannot say anything about the leaked letter because I do not know how all that came about. I am sure Nigerians will want to know even as the damage has already been done.
But Senator Solomon Ewuga, APC, Nasarawa North observed that sacking of the CBN boss was within the purview of the president even as he refused to comment further.
“It is within the power of Mr President and so I have nothing to contribute to that. Besides, I don’t like telephone interview and so leave me out of that matter for now,” he said.
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