Sanusi Lamido says ex-minister is lying

Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanus

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has accused former Petroleum minister,Diezani Alison-Madueke of lying about claims that he sought her help to become the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano, also denied that he invented the allegation that $20 billion in oil funds was missing as revenge for losing the job.

The Emir made the comments during an interview with Sunday Telegraph which was published on November 15, 2015.

“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,” he 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.

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.

Certainly, there is nothing personal. It is our nation’s money we are talking about. One cannot take away the treasury and expect to go scot-free. He must answer the basic questions. Everyone is aware that I was punished by former President Jonathan for exposing the missing $20bn. The punishment after suspending me from the CBN and taking away my passports was also blocking me from becoming the AfDB President. But Allah in his mercy today has given me something much more better than that,” he added.

Diezani had made the claim during an interview with Dele Momodu’s The Boss Newspaper.