Vunderkind
Social Member
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has spoken against the abuse of power by the Federal Government after reports came that the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was abruptly suspended today.
Atiku maintained that President GEJ had no power to remove or suspend the CBN governor in such manner.
Sanusi said in a video interview at CNBC that he was in Nigeria with other West African central bank governors when his suspension was announced.
Atiku has urged Sanusi to challenge the suspension in the court of law, as silence in the face of such abuse of power by the President of the country could send the wrong message and set a dangerous precedent.
Atiku recollected that when he became a victim of such abuse of power in the past after he was suspended as vice President by the former president Olusegun Obasanjo, he went to court to challenge the action. He said that the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that a president cannot suspend a public officer he has no power to sack.
While admitting that he had no clue the nature of the ‘offences’ Sanusi was being accused of committing, Atiku said “whatever might be the offence Sanusi committed, President Jonathan should have followed constitutional process to suspend or remove the CBN governor instead of exceeding the boundary of his powers.”
He continued “this is not about Sanusi as a person, or the person nominated to succeed him, Godwin Emefiele who is a thoroughbred professional. It is about due process that should be upheld.”
Atiku has therefore advised the suspended Sanusi to go to court to challenge his suspension in the interest of constitutionalism and the rule of law.