Sanusi finally Heads To Court..Wants Job Back

The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has filed another suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja asking for an interlocutory order restraining President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police (IG) from giving effect to his purported suspension from office as the governor of the CBN, pending the determination of his suit.

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

In the suit filed by his lawyer led by Chief Kola Awodein (SAN), Sanusi told the court that his interlocutory application was necessary because of the issues raised in the suit and that any delay might cause irreparable and serious damage and mischief to him in the exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN governor.

He 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 central bank, unless arrested, posed a grave danger to Nigeria's economy. He urged the court to grant his application as it would result in maintaining the status quo ante bellum, that is, for his return to his office as the governor of the CBN.
In the affidavit deposed to 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 proceeds of crude oil sales between the period of January 2012 and July 2013 and that 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 further stated that the action of President Goodluck Jonathan, in purporting to suspend him from office, was aimed at punishing him for these disclosures.

He also stated that he was challenging the president's power to suspend him from office, noting that the president did not approach nor obtain the support of the Senate, based on his discussions with several senators, including Senator Bukola Saraki.

He said: “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.”

Sanusi further stated that the actions of the president in suspending him from office was contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria 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 central bank and is therefore illegal, null and void.

He urged the court, in the interest of justice, to grant his reliefs.
The suit, which was filed late Monday afternoon, was still at the Federal High Court's Registry in Abuja and had not been assigned to a judge.