20th February, 2014
MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano
Governor Rabi’u Muhammad Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, Northwest Nigeria on Thursday faulted the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, saying that there was an ulterior motive behind the action.
Kwankwaso said that the suspension of Sanusi was a grand design to dislodge Kanawa from the economic and financial decision-making of Nigeria via the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration, adding that, in order to further impoverish and marginalize Kano, the government at the centre, with their cohorts has made their threat known.
The Governor also said it was sheer disrespect to the existing laws of the land and show of ingratitude that a person who has brought about sweeping positive changes that would have put the nation’s economy on the pedestal of growth would be treated unfairly.
He said Sanusi should rather be commended for exposing the rot and corruption in the NNPC. “A responsible government would have promptly investigated the allegations but they disappointingly refused to do so,” Kwankwaso said.
While describing the suspension as illegal, null and void, Gov. Kwankwaso noted that the CBN Act provides that the removal of CBN Governor “shall be supported by two-third majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.”
“Clearly therefore law does not give the President the power to suspend the CBN Governor without recourse to the Senate. You cannot just trample on the law with impunity, without recourse to constitutional provisions,” he said.
The governor further drew analogy from the illegal removal of President of the Court of Appeal Justice Ayo Salami by President Jonathan.
“In a similar guise of suspension, Justice Salami was removed by the President and was not reinstated despite his reinstatement by the NJC. They refused to do so until he attained the retirement age of 70 years,” he said.
Gov. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State has faulted the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, saying that there was an ulterior motive behind the action.
Kwankwaso stated that the suspension was a grand design to dislodge Kanawa from the economic and financial decision-making agencies of the Federal government in order to further impoverish and marginalize the state.
The Governor also said it was sheer disrespect to the existing laws of the land and show of ingratitude that a person who has brought about sweeping positive changes that would have put the nation’s economy on the pedestal of growth would be treated unfairly.
He said Sanusi should rather be commended for exposing the rot and corruption in the NNPC. “A responsible government would have promptly investigated the allegations but they disappointingly refused to do so,” Kwankwaso said.
While describing the suspension as illegal, null and void, Gov. Kwankwaso noted that the CBN Act provides that the removal of CBN Governor “shall be supported by two-third majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.”
“Clearly therefore law does not give the President the power to suspend the CBN Governor without recourse to the Senate. You cannot just trample on the law with impunity, without recourse to constitutional provisions,” he said.
The governor further drew analogy from the illegal removal of President of the Court of Appeal Justice Ayo Salami by President Jonathan.
“In a similar guise of suspension, Justice Salami was removed by the President and was not reinstated despite his reinstatement by the NJC. They refused to do so until he attained the retirement age of 70 years,” he said.