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Tag: Lamido Sanusi

  • Lamido Sanusi’s love for education 

    Lamido Sanusi’s love for education 

    Royalty is indeed sweet, the respect, allure and opulence that come with it soothe the heart, but royalty is innate.

    Former Governor of Kano State Dr. Abdulahai Ganduje might have relieved Lamido Sanusi Lamido of his Emirship but blue blood flows  in his veins.

    Sanusi still commands much respect. His influence, despite not being the emir of ancient Kano Emirate, keeps growing like a wildfire.

    To some, his dethronement was politically motivated while some are indifferent. But, in all, he was a crusader for good governance and also spoke against the ills militating against the attainment of a just society.

    When he was dethroned in March 2020, it didn’t come as a shock to many as he had been facing battles with the governor of the state. The story went round the nooks and crannies of the state and beyond when he was asked to leave the state to allow the enthronement of a new emir.

    The former Governor of Central Bank was unperturbed and unruffled as he calmed his supporters. He told them to desist from any form of violence and shun destruction, and pleaded with them to accept it as a wish from the almighty. He left immediately and relocated to Nasarawa State.

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    Years after his dethronement, his popularity has transcended the shores of Nigeria and more Nigerians are according him respect like the Emir. Any functions he graces, his entrance is always grande with a display of royal opulence.

    The royalty in him shows at every point. His royal entourage and presence hardly go unnoticed. Since his removal, he has been having good outings. Apart from being involved in the political stability of Nigeria and Africa; there is one thing he loves so much — education. He has openly advocated for it. He is of the opinion that education is the bedrock of development in any country that’s why he has criticised the government on the need to educate children in Northern Nigeria. Aside that, he made his family an example with the mandate that all of them must get a university degree and also must pass in flying colours.

    Almost all of his children have graduated with a minimum of Master’s degree in their various fields.

    Challenging his children, he said  education was a continuous process. He has also enrolled for a PhD in Economics at a University in the United Kingdom.

    Sources say he is using his part-time teaching job to earn a doctorate. He has always been a teacher so bagging a PhD is a motivation for his children and it will also see him share his repertoire of knowledge in his chosen field.

  • ‘Stop using traditional rulers as fire fighters’

    The Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji  have asked the federal government to accord the nations traditional rulers the recognition they deserved by assigning them not only advisory role,  but participatory role in decision and policy making in the affairs of the country.

    The two foremost monarchs stated that the days of using traditional rulers by politicians to get what they want were no longer fashionable in modern day society.

    According to the two monarchs, the federal government must desist from using traditional rulers as fire fighters.

    They bared their minds when the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Sanusi paid a courtesy call at the Popoyemoja , Ibadan  palace of the Olubadan on Monday.

    Alhaji Sanusi who expressed delight at his first visit to the Olubadan since his enthronement as the Olubadan of Ibadanland over two years ago, had prayed for longevity and sound health for the 90 years old monarch, adding that the Olubadan is a unique personality.

    He called for greater role for traditional rulers in governance to move the country to greater height.

    While recalling the giant strides of some industrious sons of Ibadan in the development of the ancient city, the Emir of Kano particularly praised late Aware Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, and Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu aka Penkelemess for their immense contributions to the growth and development of Ibadanland.

    Read Also: Monarch urges traditional rulers to shun politics

    In the same vein, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Adetunji corroborated the submissions of the Emir of Kano, calling on the Federal government to accord dignified roles to traditional rulers in the governance of the country.

    Oba Adetunji who spoke through one of his chiefs, the Agbaakin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi described the role of traditional roles in the country as very crucial to maintenance of peace, development and unification of all ethnic nationalities that formed the entity.

    He said ” I thanked you for remembering the memories of Adegoke Adelabu, and Aare Musulumi of Yorubalandland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao,  great sons of Ibadanland. I what to mention that Ibadanland is also a city of Commerce like Kano . A city of valiance and people of courage, hospitality and vision, many too numerous to mention.

    ” I thank you also for mentioning the former executive director of First Bank and Deputy Director of Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) , the All Progressive Congress gubernatorial candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu who is the grandson of one of Nigeria’s earliest nationalist , Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu , Penkelemess , Nigeria’s first Federal Minister of Natural Resources, Social Welfare . And as you have said, Your Highness, you will continue to wax strong and strong and strongest by the grace of God. Your Highness, you also mention one of the resolutions at the last meeting at the last meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers held in Abuja, I was fortunate to attend the last meeting and the previous one by the grace of the Olubadan and one of the resolutions was the point you raised that traditional rulers should serve not only advisory role but participatory role in policy making and decision.

    “It was discussed in Abuja that traditional rulers should not be turned to fire fighters. When there is need for political leadership to get to the people they will turn to palaces.

    “When they want to do national consensus like population census, like vaccinations then they will go to palaces they will turn to Kabiyesis , Emirs, obis and so on to reach the people . So, that is also noted. And since you have come to the first university in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan on the invitation of the Sigma Club, they came here two weeks ago for the invitation of the Olubadan and we are happy that kabiyesi the Olubadan is one of the royal guests. We pray that Sigma Club will continue to carry the flag of the founding fathers over 50 years ago.”

  • How not to engage history: Lamido Sanusi and the survival of Nigeria

    Abstract

    In November 2015, I wrote an article published on the backpage of the “Nation” focusing on the relevance of the past to the present especially in Nigeria.  In that write-up, I tried as much as possible to express my disappointment and frustrations about the poor attitude of our educational policy makers to history as a subject.  This is with a special emphasis on the removal of history from the secondary schools’ syllabus.  My frustrations derive from the fact that historical consciousness cannot be neatly separated from the emergence of a materially and spiritually robust society anywhere within the global village.  The two must necessarily dance together.

    However, there was a gap in that article.  That vacuum will hopefully be filled by this new piece.  First, there is need to remind ourselves about what history is and why we study and narrate it.  History simply put, is an intellectual engagement about past events or important activities that have occurred in relation to an individual concept, perception, person, socio-cultural and political institution, geopolity or ethnicity.  This means that all historical narratives have to be logically rigorous and constructed so as to reduce fallacies, misconceptions, misapplications and misjudgements to the barest minimum.  Therefore, history coupled with its teaching (formally or informally) can never and should never be handled by anybody who is not prepared to embrace the principles of thoroughness or meticulousness.  In this regard, the narrator of history has to create an enormous space for openness, unfettered personal integrity and uncommon intellectual rigour.  This scenario enables him to navigate the often stormy waterways of the past with relative ease.

    In other words, the narrator must go beyond the domain of description as he dives into the past on the wings of indigenous epistemologies.  This entails the application of a wide range of explanatory models and/or networked paradigms so as to determine the causes and effects of certain socio-economic and political events, their trajectories and mode(s) of change in people’s behaviour or thinking.

    It follows from the above, that history though painfully, a barbarised area of human life and living in Nigeria, is a sensitive subject.  History has the capacity to build or destroy a system, region or nation depending on the calibre of the narrator vis-à-vis his motive as well as targetted audience.

    The formal or informal teacher of history must necessarily take cognisance of these fundamentals in order not to set a nation or region ablaze.  History teaches a lot of lessons including the capacity to engender a fine-grained appreciation and understanding of humanity across time and space.  This is a pre-condition for wisdom.  Wisdom is the pillar upon which the edifice of Nigeria rests.  Nigeria can easily collapse when this pillar is removed either by design or accident.  In the African world-view, elders are a repository of history and by extension, wisdom.  I believe that this is even a bio-social universal.  However, the sensitive nature of the position a person holds in society can be used to categorise him as an elder even if he is relatively young.

    The Emir of Kano  Alhaji Lamido Sanusi is a highly respected and celebrated person and above all, a foremost traditional king in Nigeria.  This eminent citizen of Nigeria has an enviable, long pedigree that has naturally made him an elder.  Consequently, his public utterances must be well measured at all times in order not to worsen the already very unfriendly socio-economic and political atmosphere of our dear country.  The learned emir of one of the greatest African metropolises should always remember that his statements carry a lot of weight within and without Nigeria.  This is not to suggest that he should not be free to express his views on burning national issues as a Nigerian that also doubles as a socio-cultural leader of monumental stature.  As a matter of fact, Nigerians need such cerebral natural rulers/leaders more than ever before.  This gains its relevance against the background of the fact, that Nigeria at this crucial period of our collective existence as a nation, is at a crossroads.  Therefore, all major stakeholders in the Nigerian project must realise that moderation is of the essence!

    Alhaji Lamido Sanusi’s historical analysis or narrative a few days ago, where he lambasted the Yoruba ethnicity and its leadership right from the eve of Nigeria’s political independence is most unacceptable.  It is a hate campaign against the Yoruba and it cannot do anybody any good, especially at this period when the country is navigating a complex, stormy network of problems ranging from weak economy to feelings of gloom and despondency among the Nigerian masses, Boko Haram insurgency and the menace of the rampaging Fulani herdsmen.  This is in addition, to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiite Islamic Sect.

    The many reported cases of Fulani herdsmen attacks in Plateau and Benue states.  The near-genocide case of the Agatu community in Benue State recently as well as the subsequent killing of several Fulani herdsmen and their cattle in Nassarawa state in reprisal by certain Agatu boys.  Nigeria is now gaining in popularity as a bloodthirsty nation where the sanctity of human life has disappeared from our vocabularies of popular discourse.  This is a terrible, barbaric image we have to jointly erase from our consciousness as a people.  From Agatuland in central Nigeria to the south, the Fulani herdsmen are maiming and killing innocent people in their homes.  Farms are being destroyed at Oke-Ogun in Oyo state, Akure in Ondo state and recently in Enugu.  Are we in the Stone Age period?  Although the Nigerian security agents are trying, they need to do much more to arrest this ugly situation.  Are we a savage people?  Are we saying that Nigerians cannot manage their affairs without resorting to savage attacks?  Are we a bunch of sub-human beings?  Definitely this country is sitting on a keg of gun powder.

    However, it is gratifying to note that the National Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association, Alhaji Kiruwa Zuru and some key leaders of the group are supporting the federal government to find lasting solutions to these problems.

    As a prominent/senior Nigerian citizen, the above problems and their solutions should worry Alhaji Lamido Sanusi.  He should leave historical engagements or narration to the gurus in the field in order not to cause more havoc to the already highly traumatised/irritable Nigerian people.  Innocent Nigerians who are being harassed for nothing in their fatherland need food, electricity, jobs and security as opposed to a hate history.  Nigerians regardless of their ethnic backgrounds are free to work and/or live anywhere in the country within the ambit of the constitution of our land, but no Nigerian is free to commit crime(s) without facing the full wrath of the law.  Cattle herding should not entail destroying people’s farms at will.  This reality underscores the reason why the president of Nigeria as our overall leader needs to work harder and faster as the clock ticks.  Nigeria cannot afford to have another civil war!

    The historical narrative of AlhajiLamidoSanusi was ill-timed and he did not examine critically the issue of causality.  The first “coup” in 1962 according to him was the brain child of the Yoruba and the January 15, 1966 one (coup) led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu was also due to the riots in the West.  This is laughable!  It was a divisive approach to serious Nigerian problems.  All Nigerians today have to focus on things that are capable of promoting national unity and/or integration as well as sustainable peace.  An average Nigerian does not need this kind of politicking.  Therefore, politicians, natural rulers and their business associates should desist from insulting our collective intelligence understandably because the Nigerian masses (from Kano to Lagos through to Enugu and Maiduguri) have a common agenda  liberation from the bondage of economic and political oppression, repression and exploitation.  It is a pity that the Nigerian leadership class continues to use circumstantialism of ethnicity and/or religion in order to maintain the status-quo.  The Nigerian masses must wake up from their slumber so as to identify their real enemies with a view to liberating themselves from the shackles of material poverty and insecurity.  I submit here that most of the Nigerian problems and challenges today are enshrined in the sphere of smelly politics by our abusers.  They (our abusers) merely use the circumstantialism of ethnicity and/or religion to deceive the impoverished and traumatised Nigerian masses.

    • Professor Ogundele is of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
  • Hajj: Nigerians won’t stone devil again – Sanusi

    Hajj: Nigerians won’t stone devil again – Sanusi

    Nigeria’s Amirul Hajj and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, on Friday night said Nigerians will no longer participate in the stoning of devil ritual, except they get accommodation close to Jamrat, where the exercise will take place.

    The Emir’s reaction followed the recent stampede in Saudi Arabia that killed several pilgrims, including about 70 Nigerians.

    He also reiterated his earlier position that blacks, particularly Nigerians were not responsible for the stampede.

    The Emir, who quoted several verses of the Qur’an, said refusal to perform the stoning of devil ritual does not in any way invalidate one’s pilgrimage.

    He said, “During the era of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he permitted pilgrims who came on camels to stay in Makkah after Arafat, instead of staying in Mina and sleeping at Muzdalifa.

    “So, if the Prophet can give such grace to some people, just to protect their animals, why didn’t our scholars educate our people properly to avoid this untoward hardship and death?

    “Therefore, it will be part of my recommendation to the Federal Government that, if we cannot get accommodation close to Jamrat where the Arabs reside in Mina, then this year may be the last time we will sleep in Mina and Muzdalifa because we want to stone the devil.

    “If one deliberately refuses to perform the stoning of the devil ritual, all he needs to do is just to slaughter a ram. So, if this is the situation, why do we go and suffer and die instead of sacrificing a ram.”

     

  • Jonathan, Sanusi meet in Aso Rock

    Jonathan, Sanusi meet in Aso Rock

    President Goodluck Jonathan met with the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

    The meeting was the first since Sanusi became the Emir of Kano.

    Sanusi was one of the Northern traditional rulers, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, who joined Jonathan in the breaking of Ramadan fast.

    The former CBN governor led others in a special prayer for peace during the short event held at the President’s residence.

    The President later went round to shake hands with all the traditional rulers in attendance, including Sanusi.

    Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers at the occasion, the Sultan condemned the twin bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna State on Wednesday and other terrorists attacks in the country.

    Stressing that the terrorists and their sponsors have no Islamic agenda, he declared that are enemies of humanity.

    The Sultan urged the President to find time in the future to meet with them so as to discuss issues of national importance.

    President Jonathan, at the occasion, immediately granted the Sultan’s request.

    Jonathan, in turn, urged the traditional rulers to work with his administration in order to end insurgency in the country.

    He noted that the situation could have been worse if not for prayers. He therefore called for more prayers in that direction as he expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome the challenges.

    “It could have been worse than this if not for prayers. We will surely get over it. We are doing our best to ensure we end this situation and with the support of Nigerians, we shall surely overcome,” he stated.

  • Our republic, of monarchs?

    Our republic, of monarchs?

    Why should members of the ruling party at the centre or any other party for that matter be upset about who is chosen as emir in Kano? 

    Nigeria is a country where contradictions thrive or triumph, without anyone needing to be seen to do anything untoward. Our country carries the nomenclature of a federal republic. Yet, its federating units can make laws without the power to enforce them. This contradiction is justified by those in charge of statecraft on the ground that this is the only way to keep the multiethnic country’s unity indissoluble. Some two decades ago, the country was called a secular republic until its citizens woke up one day to find out that its military dictator had registered it in the Organisation of Islamic States (OIC). It is now being characterised as a multi-religious country even though it is still officially a member of OIC and a section of the country is killing to force other religions to submit to Sharia. Most recent in our rulers’ bizarre actions is the increased attention being given and sought for monarchs of various names: Emirs, Obas, Obis, Obongs, etc. A few days ago, the death of the former Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, a man of peace and of enviable inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations during his reign, has been made to increase the country’s insecurity by republican rulers scheming to take advantage of the trappings of monarchy.

    As if the insecurity created by Boko Haram and its insistence that Nigeria must cease to be a secular state but a theocracy run by Islamic clerics functioning as kings or emirs is not enough, several political rulers seem preoccupied with adding another source of insecurity to the one that the international community believes has become too enormous for the country’s security forces to manage. As if the seizure of over 200 innocent schoolgirls is not enough to make politicians of all stripes reflect about the incapacity of the proverbial African Big Men to govern properly in a modern democratic context, those in charge of governance choose to be entangled with raising the adrenalin level of the entire country by turning what should have been an entirely local affair of Kano city into a nation-wide drama of the absurd: death of an emir; nomination of a successor; threats to arrest the emir designate before investiture; threats by street urchins to vandalize the emir’s palace; virtual relocation or incarceration of the new emir in the governor’s guest house, etc.

    If Nigeria were truly a republic, no mention would have been made in the public sphere of any manner of monarchy— of the turban popular in Northern Nigeria or of the beaded hats popular in Southern Nigeria. If Nigeria were really a republic, no head of state would call for special roles for traditional rulers in constitutional governance. If delegates at the ongoing national conference believe that Nigeria is a republic, they would not countenance the section of the items handed to them from the presidency for consideration with respect to carving a role for traditional rulers in government and in the constitution. It is clear that everybody that has a role to play in governance believes that the constitution he or she has sworn to uphold is full of lies that must be nurtured, without appearing to do so.

    How else is any lay observer of public affairs to respond to reports that the riots in Kano since the succession of Ado Bayero by Lamido Sanusi— both of the Ibrahim Dabo ruling family in Kano for centuries— are reasons for heated rhetorical fight between rival political parties? Why should members of the ruling party at the centre or any other party for that matter be upset about who is chosen as emir in Kano? Aren’t the four kingmakers required to submit the final list of nominees to the governor of the state in which Kano is situated? Did the kingmakers disagree with the announcement of Lamido Sanusi when the governor announced his name as the new Emir of Kano?  On whose behalf are the urchins on the streets demonstrating and what are they demonstrating against? Do these protesters no longer believe in the age-old selection process? If they do not, do they then have a right to expect that their preferred candidate would be nominated at the end of a process they do not find credible? What has been happening in Kano in the last few days illustrates that once a leadership group harbours and nurtures irreconcilable contradictions in the constitution and governance process of their country, citizens, particularly those with little education and the type that are easily indoctrinated and recruited to serve as suicide bombers are easy targets to be recruited to protest against the choice of kingmakers.

    Should it matter if Lamido Sanusi were sympathetic to APC or PDP before his nomination as emir? Is Sanusi as emir not obligated to serve (and appear to do so) as emir to all the people of Kano, regardless of their political affiliations? Is there any evidence that Ado Bayero was a member of any of the political parties before he died? Is the son of Ado Bayero who some political leaders are believed to prefer and had congratulated before announcement of the final nominee a member of PDP?  If he were, could the young Bayero have sustained that membership after ascending to the throne of his father? Do emirs have power to change the pattern of votes or the results of votes cast for political parties? Why is it important in this country of ours that the emir of Kano is sympathetic to APC or PDP if elections are guaranteed to be free and fair, and devoid of any form of intimidation by any branch of the security forces? In over sixty years that I had been witnessing elections in the country, there had been no report of an emir or oba going to the polls to vote for any candidate. So, what is the basis of the do-or-die attitude to whomever the people of Kano choose to be their emir?

    If traditional rulers are so influential to the extent that citizens cannot vote rationally once they are influenced by traditional rulers in their vicinity, then the time is ripe for the country to review its political structure and form of government. In the days of Lugardian Indirect Rule, traditional rulers in the Northern and Western Regions were powerful, but politicians decided not to allow the British to hand over the regions or the entire country to traditional rulers. This was why the country opted for constitutional governance and later for republican status.

    Every day, things happen in our country to suggest that those who rule us are confused people. In one breadth, they want to run a modern republican state. In another, they want to acquire traditional titles to give them the appearance of having some pedigree in traditional rulership. Even in sections of the country that the colonial masters had to create paramount chiefs for lack of traditional rulers, politicians are in the habit of creating titles that entitle them to the regalia of traditional rulers.

    In the meantime, the president should further the spirit of unity of purpose he evinced on June 12 to reprimand members of his party who sent congratulatory messages prematurely to the young Bayero. Such party fanatics have embarrassed the president and knowingly or unknowingly added to the country’s security challenges. The security problem that is being brewed in Kano over a function consigned to the Residual list in our pre-republican days shows that the lust for power to exploit the people by our post-colonial politicians is not any different from what made Frederick Lugard introduce the Indirect Rule in Nigeria. Serious-minded citizens need to let our political rulers know they are already too frustrated after three or more years of the violence from Boko Haram to be made to serve as cannon fodder in a fight between pro-monarchy political groups that should have no space in a modern republic.

  • I’ll carry everybody along – new Emir of Kano

    … Normalcy returns to ancient city  

    The new Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on Monday promised to carry everybody along while running the affairs of the ancient city.

    He also condoled with the family of the late Ado Abdullahi Bayero, the former Emir, who died on Friday, promising to continue with his legacies.

    The new Emir spoke to journalists shortly before the presentation of letter of appointment to him by Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso at the state Government House in Kano.

    Sanusi called on people of Kano to espouse peace and harmony in order to move the state forward.

    “I urge the people of Kano to always have the fear of God in all their undertakings so that peace and harmony would continue to reign in the state,” he stated.

    He also called for unity amongst the Emirate Council and the people of Kano, pointing out that he has no problem with the losers because in a contest, “there is always a winner and a loser.”

    During the new Emir’s first public appearance at the Government House, members of the Emirate Council, Districts Heads, including sons of the late Bayero paid homage to him.

    Governor Kwankwaso in his speech thanked the people of the state for their understanding and cooperation in the selection of the new Emir

    Meanwhile, normalcy has returned to Kano following the protest that greeted the emergence of the new Emir.

    Our correspondent observed that there is relative peace as people go about their business activities without tension.

  • Judge refuses to hear Sanusi’s suit over suspension

    Judge refuses to hear Sanusi’s suit over suspension

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja held yesterday that his court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Lamido Sanusi.

    Sanusi filed the suit against President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), challenging his suspension as the nation’s apex bank’s governor by the President.

    Justice Kolawole, in a judgment yesterday, upheld the objection by the defendants and held that the case related to labour and employment dispute over which the NIC has exclusive jurisdiction.

    The judge held that, as against Sanusi’s contention that he is not an employee of the Federal Government, but of the Central Bank, and as such the case could not be described as an employer-employee dispute, he (Sanusi) is an employee of an agency of the Federal Government, which could be subjected to the control of the President.

    “Once it is established that the CBN is an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, it goes without saying that he is by extension an employee of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the judge held.

    Justice Kolawole further held that his court could not hear Sanusi’s case because his appointment has statutory flavour, made in accordance with the CBN Act, as against that with constitutional flavour, made pursuant to constitutional provisions, and on which the Federal High Court could adjudicate.

    The judge held that it was only public officers, whose tenure and appointments are specifically mentioned in the Constitution that could approach the Federal High Court for such judicial interpretation as requested by Sanusi in his case.

    “The plaintiff’s application is rooted in the CBN Act 2007 and rooted and not in the Constitution. In view of the conclusion, which has been inevitably reached, the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction to entertain the case, causes and action of a plaintiff as an employee of a statutory body like CBN.”

    The judge further held that by the provision of Sections 251(1) and 254(c) of the Constitution the proper forum for the hearing of Sanusi’s suit was the National Industrial Court.

    The judge, relying on Order 56 Rule 3 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Section 24(3) of the NIC Act, 2006, elected to transfer the case to the NIC as against the defendants’ prayer that the suit be dismissed.

    “In conclusion, the plaintiff’s case is hereby transferred to the National Industrial Court subject to Section 24 (3) of the National Industrial Court Act 2006 and shall be heard and determined on the direction of its President in accordance with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as other relevant and enabling Acts as a matter of utmost urgency,” Justice Kolawole ruled.

    The judge said he would refrain from deciding the substantive suit on its merit so as to be fair to the NIC which he said was entitled to hear the case afresh and to avoid making any pronouncements that could deny justice to any of the party at the NIC.

    He urged the NIC to determine the case promptly in view of the fact that the plaintiff’s tenure as the CBN governor officially expires on June 1.

    He struck out IGP’s name from the suit on the ground that the plaintiff failed to disclose any cause of action against him.

  • Court delivers judgment today in Sanusi’s case

    Court delivers judgment today in Sanusi’s case

    A Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to give its verdict today in the suit by suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi.

    Sanusi is challenging his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Justice Kabriel Kolawole chose today for judgment after entertaining arguments from parties in the case on April 8. The court took arguments on both the defendants’ preliminary objection and the substantive case.

    Named with the President as defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    Represented by Kola Awodein (SAN), Sanusi’s contention is to the effect that the President lacked the powers to unilaterally suspend the Governor of the CBN despite his alleged offence.

    The plaintiff argued that the President’s exercise of the executive powers, provided in the Constitution, was subject to the Act of the National Assembly.

    He said, in his case, the President was expected to exercise his power to remove the CBN governor in accordance with the provision of the CBN Act.

    Sanusi argued that since there is no provision for the suspension of the CBN governor in the CBN Act, it implies that the President has no powers to suspend the bank’s governor.

    He further argued that under Section 1(3) of the CBN Act, the bank is made an independent body with the intention of making the bank operationally independent, so that there will not be interference of any sort in its operations, except as permitted under the Act.

    Sanusi contended that even if the President was to exercise control over the bank, which include the suspension of its governor, such must be done with the support of 2/3 majority of the Senate.

    He urged the court to hold that his client has made out a proper case for the court to void his suspension.

    In their counter-argument, the defendants insisted that the suspension of the plaintiff by the President was within his powers. They contended that the CBN was an agency of the Executive arm of the Federal Government, whose powers as contained in Section 5 of the Constitution is vested in the President.

    They contended that the plaintiff is a public officer and an employee of the FGN by virtue of his appointment, was not immune to the control of the President.

    They further argued that the President, in suspending Sanusi did not terminate his employment, but merely asked him to step aside to enable the Financial Regulatory Council (FRC) a statutory body, perform it’s role of investigating allegations of procedural and financial breaches raised against him.

  • Court reserves ruling in Sanusi’s suit

    Court reserves ruling in Sanusi’s suit

    • ‘Suspended CBN boss didn’t finance terrorism’

    A Lagos Federal High Court has reserved ruling in a fundamental rights suit filed by suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba fixed April 3 for ruling on the suit after counsels to parties moved and adopted their applications.

    Sanusi, through his lawyer Prof. Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), filed the suit seeking an order restraining the Police and officers of the State Security Service (SSS) from arresting, detaining or harassing him.

    Joined as respondents are the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector- General of Police (IGP) and the SSS.

    Counsel to the AGF, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), while moving a preliminary objection to Sanusi’s suit, urged the court to strike it out for lack of jurisdiction.

    Ajogwu argued that Section 254(c) 1(d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), ousted the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

    He said the case before the court was on the employment of the applicant, adding that labour-related-matters, are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court (NIC).

    “Section 254(c) 1(d) of the Constitution vests exclusive jurisdiction on the NIC, with respect to civil causes or matters touching on employment, labour or industrial relations.

    “We respectfully urge the court to hold that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the reliefs sort by the applicant and strike out the suit,” he said.

    Continuing, Ajogwu held that Sanusi cannot by his suit, seek to restrain the respondents from performing their constitutional and statutory duties.

    He argued that investigations were being made in accordance with the provisions of the law, on the applicant, for which the second and third respondents had a duty to perform.

    He submitted that the applicant was not entitled to a grant of perpetual injunction, restraining the respondents from performing their constitutional duties, adding that a perpetual injunction, is everlasting and interminable and so, cannot be granted by a court.

    “A court cannot grant perpetual injunction on a mere prima facie case; the applicant’s suit is basically an action to shield him from the machinery of administration of justice, which has been kick-started by the respondents.

    “I, therefore, urge your lordship, like the biblical Pontius Pilate, to wash his hands off this case, as it is not the affairs of this honourable court,” Ajogwu submitted.

    Counsels to the second and third respondents, David Abuo and Moses Idakwo agreed with Ajogwu’s submissions.

    Idakwo stressed that it was absurd for the applicant to say that an interaction with the SSS for less than an hour, amounted to a violation of his rights.

    He maintained that Section 6 of the National Security Agencies Act empowered the Service to impound the passport of suspects, pending the conclusion of investigations.

    Replying to the respondents’ objections, Kola Awodehin (SAN), who represented Sanusi, said the court can hear the suit.

    He argued that the suit had nothing to do with the terms of employment of the applicant or industrial relation, since it was not a case of the applicant against the CBN.

    Awodehin noted that in construing the provisions of Section 254 (c) 1 (d) of the constitution, the word “employment” must be read together with other words listed therein, to appreciate its scope.

    He argued that the applicant in his originating summons, never sought for an order of perpetual injunction, adding that the reliefs sought were qualified.

    “It cannot be suggested that the applicant is restraining the respondents from performing their duties, but they must restrained from doing so, without due process of the law.

    Sanusi denied financing terrorism. Speaking against the background of the allegation in their counter-affidavits the government filed, Awodein said, “The seizure of the applicant’s international passport by the third respondent is a derogation of his freedom of movement.

    “The first to third respondents give conflicting reasons as to the complaint made against the applicant: This conflict goes to show that they acted without due process of the law.

    “The allegations against the applicant as to funding of terrorism, is an afterthought by the respondent, which is not backed by facts, as there is no reasonable suspicion that the applicant committed any crime.

    “The law clearly defines how such duties should be performed, and so, I invite your lordship to hold that the applicant has a cause of action against the respondent.”