Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, and former Central Bank of Nigeria governor Lamido Sanusi met a book launch Thursday in Abuja, and it was an opportunity for both men to set a record straight.
Sanusi who is now the Emir of Kano during his time at the CBN had alleged that $49.8 billion got missing from government coffers and speaking at a book presentation Jonathan denied that he removed Sanusi as CBN governor because of the allegations.
The book, “Public Policy and Agents Interests: Perspectives from the Emerging World,’’ is co-written by Sanusi and Shamshudeen Usman who was the Minister of Finance between 2007 and 2009 and Minister of Planning during the reign of President Jonathan between 2010-2015.
“Let me mention that I did not agree with some issues raised by one of the contributors. But I don’t intend to join issues because he is our royal father. And he is here,” Jonathan said when it was his turn to speak.
“The one he raised that he was sacked because he blew a whistle that the Federal Government lost $49.8billion is not quite correct. He was not sacked; he was suspended because the Financial Reporting Council queried the expenditure of CBN. And there were serious infractions that needed to be looked at. That was the reason. But somehow, the time was short. So before we finished, his tenure elapsed. Probably, he would have been called back.
“On the issue of $ 49.8 billion, till today, I am not convinced that the Federal Government lost $49.8 billion.
“And that year, our budget was $31.6 billion. So for a country that had a budget of $31.6 billion to lose about $50 billion and salaries were paid, nobody felt anything. The researchers that wrote this book need to do further research.
“And more so, when our revered royal father came up with the figures. First $49.8 billion, later $20 billion and later $12 billion. I don’t even know the correct one”.
But Emir Sanusi who spoke briefly responded: “My boss who sacked me. I was constructively dismissed. I continue to respect Jonathan, and I don’t have grudges against anyone.”
