Sanusi Alleges Persecution For 'Exposing Corruption'

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Slams fresh case against Jonathan BEVERLY HILLS, February 25, (THEWILL) - As controversy continues to trail the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the embattled CBN governor has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of persecuting him for 'exposing corruption ' in government.

The allegation came even as he slammed a fresh suit against the President to challenge his suspension.

In the suit filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Monday afternoon, the suspended CBN governor prayed for an interlocutory order restraining President Jonathan, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police from giving effect to his suspension from office as the CBN governor pending the determination of his suit.

He is also praying the court to make an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him from in any manner whatsoever from performing the functions of his office as the CBN governor and enjoying in full, the statutory powers and privileges attached to the office .

Sanusi, who was represented  by a  legal team  led by Chief Kola Awodein, (SAN) told the court that his interlocutory application was necessary because of the issues raised in the suit and that delay might cause irreparable and serious damage and mischief to him in the exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN Governor.

He therefore urged the court to exercise its discretion in his favour by granting the interlocutory injunctions, saying the president's continuing unlawful interference with the management and administration of the apex bank, unless arrested, posed grave danger for Nigeria's economy and justified the court granting his application which, according to him,  would result in maintaining status quo ante bellum, that is, for his return to his office as the CBN Governor.

Deposing to an affidavit in support of his application, Sanusi said in the course of his duties as the CBN Governor, he discovered certain discrepancies in respect of amounts repatriated to the Federation Account from the proceed of crude oil sales between the period of January, 2012 and July, 2013 .

He said  he expressed concern in respect of the said discrepancies and had cause to inform the National Assembly of the said discrepancies because they affected the revenue of the federation and the national economy.

He stated that President Jonathan's action , in purporting to suspend him from office, was aimed at punishing him for these disclosures as he maintained that he was challenging the President's power to suspend him because the President did not approach nor obtain the support of the Senate, based on his discussions with several senators, including Senator Bukola Saraki.

"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.

According to Sanusi,  the actions of the president in suspending him from office was contrary to provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act relating to the appointment and removal of the CBN governor and that his purported suspension amounted to unlawful interference in the administration and management of the apex bank and therefore illegal, null and void.

He therefore urged the court, in the interest of justice, to grant his reliefs.

Since the suit was filed Monday afternoon, it has remained still at the Federal High Court's Registry and has not been assigned to any judge.