Chat212 - Mail Summary...
- APC and ACF tackled the Federal Government over the suspension, last week, of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigera.
- The APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, challenged the government to charge the suspended CBN governor to court if it was convinced about the veracity of its allegations against him.
Chat212 - Mail News... Report
The main opposition party, All Progressives Congress; and pan-northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Sunday tackled the Federal Government over the suspension, last week, of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigera, Lamido Sanusi.
While the APC accused President Goodluck Jonathan of seeking to use the suspension to divert attention from Sanusi’s allegation of $20bn missing oil funds, the ACF said the suspension was illegal and warned the government against any untoward happening to the CBN governor.
The opposition party, in a statement by the APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, challenged the government to charge the suspended CBN governor to court if it was convinced about the veracity of its allegations against him.
Mohammed’s statement partly read, ‘’Irrespective of the tepid and unconvincing denial by the presidency, it is clear that the main reason the presidency moved against Sanusi is because he blew the lid on the $20bn funds, which the NNPC allegedly failed to remit to the Federation Account.
“Fortunately, discerning Nigerians are not hoodwinked by the Presidency’s choreographed mudslinging against a whistle blower, and the sponsored campaign that amounts to shooting the messenger just because his message is not palatable.”
The APC also urged the National Assembly to probe Sanusi’s allegation and save Nigerians from what it described as a cabal that is hell bent on bringing Nigeria to its knees through corruption.
It re-stated its earlier stand that Sanusi’s suspension was unlawful and said the drop in the value of the Naira and the fact that the banking sector and other stocks spiralled into the negative, in the aftermath of the suspension of Sanusi had shown the dangers inherent in politicicing an office that should be insulated from political pressure.
On its own, the ACF noted that the suspension did not only negate the spirit of ‘separation of powers’ but warned the Federal Government on the personal safety of the CBN governor.
The Forum, at the end of its emergency meeting on Sunday, cautioned the Jonathan-led government to ensure that no harm was done to Lamido, noting that due process was not followed in the suspension of the CBN governor.
The new National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Muhammad Ibrahim, in a statement after the emergency meeting, noted that the Forum deliberated extensively on the suspension and resolved that the Federal Government erred.
He said, “ACF wishes to remind the Federal Government that only the Senate has the power to dismiss or remove the Central Bank Governor with a two-third majority vote following due process.
“This action of government has negative implication on transparency and good governance, it negates the principle of separation of powers, it also shows that the government has already decided to sack him.
“ACF wishes to advise the government and all concerned to avoid doing anything that will tarnish Nigeria’s image and refrain from exposing Nigeria to ridicule at the international level.
“ACF wishes to express concern about the personal security and safety of Mallam Sanusi as it has been reported that his passport has been seized and the security detail attached to him withdrawn”
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