Reps reject CBN gov, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s suspicion

ABUJA-MEMBERs of the House of Representatives
have rejected the suspension of the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN Governor, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Also apparently embittered by what legislators
perceived as selective implementation or non-
compliance with its resolution against some public
officers over corrupt practices, the House has
mandated its committees on Justice, and
Legislative Compliance to compile all resolutions
that have indicted any public officer for which
President Goodluck Jonathan refused to act, and
request the president to act on them immediately.
The Presidency Thursday suspended the apex bank
boss in a statement signed by the Media and
Publicity Adviser to the president Dr Reuben Abalti.
The house resumed plenary at about 11.05am and
the second legislative business of the day was a
motion under matters of national importance titled:
Suspension of the Governor of Central Bank of
Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi sponsored
by Rep Samson Osagie, PDP, Edo state.
The presiding officer, Aminu Tambuwal had
immediately put it to voice vote and it was
unanimously carried for debate.
Osagie had barely finished reading his motion when
Rep Henry Ofongo,PDP, Bayelsa, raised a point of
order challenging Osagie’s motion.
But the Speaker had overruled his point of order
saying Ofongo had to wait till Osagie had made his
submission.
This did not go down well with PDP legislators who
in turns tried to tear Osagie’s motion apart.
In his argument, Rep Ralph Nnana Igbokwe, PDP,
Imo had described the position as irrelevant
bordering on the fact that “Mr President did the right
thing by suspending Sanusi because the CBN was a
government institution.
This development again led to a verbal war which
dominated the House of Representatives plenary for
almost 50mins with support and opposition to
Sanusi’s suspension torn along party lines.
The Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP legislators in
support and All Progressive Congress ,APC,
lawmakers outrightly rejecting Sanusi’s suspension.
Osagie in his motion had observed that”the
president on Thursday 20th of February announced
through his special adviser Media and Publicity, Dr
Reuben abalti the suspension of the CBN Governor
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi over the report made against
him by the Financial Reporting Council and other
investigative bodies.
According to Osagie, section 11(7) of the CBN Act,
2007 which gave the president powers to remove
the Governor, subject to two-third majority approval
of the Senate did not contemplate suspension,
adding that it was also doubtful if Sanusi was given
fair hearing in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution.
His motion was however punctured by noise from
Rep Henry Ofongo , who through a point of order
faulted Osagie that he was bringing in issues from
the CBN Act, which were not relevant to the matter
he was debating. The lawmaker was however asked
to wait and present his points during the debate of
the motion by Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who
was presiding over the plenary.
Anxieties subsequently set in, throwing the session
into a momentary uproar when another lawmaker,
Rep Ralph Nnanna Igbokwe also raised a point of
order, drawing the attention of the House to the
same section of the CBN Act earlier cited by Osagie
which gave the President powers to appoint and
remove the CBN Governor.
According to him, if CBN was a public institution,
operating under the public service rules with Sanusi
as a public officer heading the institution, he can be
removed under such rules if found wanting in the
discharge of his duties, urging the House “to resist
every temptation not to act on the side of the law.”
Tambuwal though ruled that Igbokwe was in order,
but he explained that his assertions did not resolve
the issue of suspension not being contemplated in
the Act, as contended by Osagie, and subsequently
yielded the floor for the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep
Leo Ogor who had indicated to speak against the
motion to do so.
But before Ogor, Nkoyo Toyo through another point
of order on matters of privilege warned that Sanusi,
no doubt was an important personality, and a great
Nigerian whose case should not be reduced to
politicking on the floor of the House, a position the
Speaker told members to note as they debate the
issue.
Ogor in his submission defended the suspension as
a beginning of a process, and not an end in itself.
“For you to remove somebody, there have to be a
process, and the suspension is the beginning of
that,” the lawmaker stated amidst shouts of ‘No!
‘No!! No!!! from supporters of the motion.
When Tambuwal put question for voice votes on the
motion, more members voted unanimously
supported.
APC Reps reactions
The Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of
Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, APC, Lagos
has expressed dismay at the suspension of Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi as CBN Governor.
He said such action can be legally queried , “I am
concerned about its legality. Whilst it can be argued
that an employer has the right to suspend an
employee, the question here is whether this is a
suspension or a removal in the guise of
suspension.”
Gbajabiamila further described the suspension as
an attack on CBN autonomy and setback for the
fight on corruption.
“For good reason the CBN Governor world over is
independent and autonomous. To remove him you
need confirmation and buy-in of the Senate. You
cannot do it through the back door. If you read
carefully the reasons advanced by the Presidency
then it becomes clear that this is a removal and not
a suspension and therefore illegal and
unconstitutional.”
“It becomes more worrisome when you consider
the timing and the fact that the CBN Governor has
just blown the lid off a monumental scandal
involving the disappearance of 20billion dollars from
our coffers. The message being sent out is not the
best . There can be no worse attack on the
autonomy of the apex financial institution as
envisaged by the constitution. For God’s sake the
man only has 3 months left!”
Alsi in a direct response to Sanusi’s suspension,
Rep . Pally Iriase (Edo/APC) in a chat with newsmen
challenged President Jonathan to disclose
allegations of “various acts of financial
recklessness and misconduct,” he gave as reason
for Sanusi’s suspension.
Iriase said the suspension which he described as
“hasty” could dent foreign investor confidence in
the country’s economy.
“We have been talking about impunity. This
(Sanusi’s suspention) is yet another show of
impunity by this administration. The suspension is
personal and is not unconnected with the recent
disclosure of missing money from the NNPC.
“It is a clear case of if you cannot shut him up, ship
him out. It should be condemned in its totality.”
Iriase said.
The Edo born lawmaker debunked insinuation that
Sanusi had been doing the bidding of the APC by
“embarrassing the government” with disclosure of
missing oil revenue.
“If the bidding of APC is to have a robust economy,
a responsible government that is corruption free,
then Nigerians should be happy. Sanusi’s
suspension is simply a case of the administration
shooting itself on the foot.” he stated.