Saraki: Jonathan can’t justify

Saraki

Former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan cannot justify his decision to suspend Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi
Saraki, who is the chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, also denied reports making the rounds that the upper legislative chamber has approved Sanusi’s suspension.
He said that the Senate was yet to be formally briefed on the Sanusi’s controversy, insisting that the provisions of the CBN Act are clear and unambiguous on the removal or suspension of the apex bank governor.
Saraki spoke yesterday in his Ilorin, Kwara State, capital home.
He said it was clear Jonathan has been ill-advised on the issue and warned that such developments will affect other institutions meant to stabilise the country.
He expressed concerns that investors would be wary of doing business again with the country given the alleged arbitrary nature of suspending Sanusi.
According to him: “Today, it is the CBN governor. Who knows the president may wake up tomorrow and suspend the chairman of INEC?
“With my own knowledge of the CBN Act and the relevant sections, which I have gone through, no part of that Act supports the action taken by the president.
“And I think this kind of thing is not about Sanusi. It is even more about the new governor who is coming in.
“Can that governor really say that his tenure is five years? There can be a new president tomorrow down the line who would say, ‘in 2014, this is what happened.’’’
He added: “The independence of the position of the governor of Central Bank is no longer there and there are investors outside the country, fund managers that will have about N20bn invested in this country who took those decisions based on the fact that the CBN is independent.
“The moment those institutions are not protected, they have far-reaching effect on the economy. I think in a way the president was ill-advised.
“Whatever he was trying to achieve is lost because those institutions are more important than the issue of the individual. Also the law states clearly how the governor of Central Bank can be removed or suspended.”
He debunked the notion that the Senate had backed the suspension of Sanusi.
Saraki said: “I was reading in the newspapers that the Senate has taken a position on the Sanusi’s issue and I want to say that the Senate has not at any time discussed the issue.
“I think the senator who was quoted was talking on his personal recognition.
“From reading the CBN Act, there is no room for the president to either suspend or remove the CBN governor.
“There is no letter or request before us; maybe when we get back, we will get the letter. We must follow the laws.”
On the gang-up against his political leadership in the state, the former governor, who has defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC), said any talk about taking over from him is mere day dreaming.
He explained the latest figures from the registration of the APC membership in the state has shown that it can conveniently win the next elections.