The Central Bank Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, is currently involved in a heated exchange with President Goodluck Jonathan after refusing the President’s direction that he resign.
Jonathan is said to have called on the CBN Governor to resign despite the fact that he is voluntarily stepping down in March which will mark the end of his tenure. The President is said to have requested an accelerated departure of Sanusi from office due to his suspicion that Sanusi leaked the letter he wrote to the President to Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the said letter, the CBN Governor accused the NNPC of not remitting $49.8 billion to the Federation Account. The money is since said to have been ‘reconciled’ by the Finance Ministry, Petroleum Ministry and NNPC.
Lamido Sanusi is said to have further drawn the wrath of the Presidency, after he categorically told Jonathan that he would not resign and that only a majority of the Senate could remove him according to the provision of the constitution.
Sanusi is said to have also been surprised that the President asked him to resign instead of calling for the sack of those responsible for the non-remittance of funds. The CBN Governor, fearing for his safety has reportedly disclosed the recent exchange between him and the Presidency to close aides.
Moves are reportedly being made to reconcile the CBN Governor with the President so as not to heat up the polity in the months leading to the 2015 elections.