Just Respond to charges against you and stop misinforming the public abeg - Presidency tells Sanusi
We have noted with disappointment, the unrelenting attempt by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to falsely portray his recent suspension from office as an attempt by the Presidency to bury his allegation that huge sums of money due to the Federation Account are unaccounted for by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The Presidency wishes to reaffirm that Mallam Sanusi’s suspension has absolutely nothing to do with his unproven and inconsistent claim that $49.8 Billion, $12 Billion or $20 Billion is missing from the national treasury. Continue...
As was clearly stated in the letter suspending him from
office and confirmed by President Goodluck Jonathan in his last Presidential
Media Chat, Mallam Sanusi’s suspension was wholly based on the need for him to
step aside while the weighty charges of financial recklessness, gross
misconduct and persistent disregard for laid down rules and regulations in the
management of the Central Bank made against him by the Financial Reporting
Council of Nigeria and others are properly investigated.
It is most unfortunate that instead of trying to provide some
reasonable response to the clear and unambiguous query of his official conduct
as Governor of the Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi has cynically chosen to whip up public sympathy
for himself and anger against the Federal Government by deliberately misleading
unwary Nigerians and the international community into believing the falsehood
that he is being punished for exposing corruption.
In recent days, the suspended CBN Governor has, following in
the footsteps of others who have an axe to grind with the government, taken to
spreading his false claims and allegations through gullible foreign media
correspondents, telling them among other things that his threat to force
commercial banks to open up their books to unravel the whereabouts of the “missing”
funds whether $49.8 Billion, $12 Billion or $20 Billion, ultimately led to his suspension.
He also continues to make the mischievous claim that the
government is somehow involved in a scam to divert huge sums of money from the
Federation Account through the misappropriation of kerosene subsidy funds.
Mallam Sanusi’s allegations are patently untrue. But Government
is making no effort to bury them as he falsely claims. Relevant committees of
the National Assembly are still investigating the claims and the suspended CBN
Governor remains free to give evidence before them in support of his
allegations.
Furthermore, in keeping with its avowed commitment to full
transparency, openness and accountability in governmental affairs, the Federal Government
has authorized the engagement of reputable international firms for the
recommended forensic audit of NNPC accounts.
The Presidency condemns Mallam Sanusi’s resort to playing
politics with serious national issues. His suggestion that the phantom missing funds
may have been diverted to fund campaigns for next year’s general elections is mischievous,
irresponsible and designed to incite other political parties and members of the
public against the Federal Government.
The claim which amounts to cheap blackmail against the government and
was clearly made in furtherance of a selfish personal agenda is most unbecoming
of someone who still holds the High Office of Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria.
The Presidency would not ordinarily have wished to join issues
with Mallam Sanusi who as CBN Governor remains an appointee of the President, but
the very unacceptable manner in which Sanusi has been misinforming the public made
it imperative that this statement be issued.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the
President
(Media and Publicity)
March 12, 2014
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