Immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Lamido Sanusi has denied claims by the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke that he came up with the $20BN missing oil funds because she refused to help him secure the African Development Bank, AfDB presidency job.
Speaking with Sunday Telegraph, the Emir revealed that Diezani was being economical with the truth in her interview with the Boss newspaper.
Sanusi who stated that his interest in the AfDB job when the position became vacant was not a hidden thing, stressed that his lack of interest in a second term as CBN Governor made him to write a letter to former President, Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate.
The former CBN governor noted that he discussed his AfDB ambition extensively with the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.
“It is not something that is hidden that anybody who is seeking that job must get the support of his country. Knowing fully that I went to the President with my intention and before I made the exposure of the $20bn oil deal, Jonathan clearly indicated his support for me. He even directed Hassan Tukur, his Principal Private Secretary to write to African heads of state. So, what is Diezani saying? One can now see that she is lying,” Sanusi said.
According to Sanusi, record has it that a week after he exposed the matter, former President Jonathan wrote a letter, withdrawing his nomination as Nigeria’s candidate and replaced him with the then Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, who went ahead to win the election.
Sanusi said, “My suspension came a week after I made the disclosure of the missing monies, precisely on February 20, 2014. As at that time, I was the only candidate from Nigeria gunning for the AfDB job, but you know one cannot have it when he is suspended. My passports were all confiscated. Jonathan in trying to punish me denied me of the job and replaced me with Akin Adesina, who is my personal friend.”
He, however, noted that contrary to Diezani’s statement, there were issues to be cleared around the subsidy regime under Jonathan.
“The question that remains for Diezani to answer is, was there $6bn said to have been remitted to NPDC which they denied? As for that denial, who is holding that money? What happened to the inflated N6 per litre kerosene subsidy? Where is the money said to be paid to that effect? All these questions formed the basis upon which I was suspended and denied the AfDB job,” he stated.
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