Jonathan surrounded by 'incompetent' frauds---Sanusi
Sanusi, widely respected by economists in Nigeria and
abroad, was suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday over alleged
financial misconduct, a move seen by many analysts as politically motivated.
Sanusi has accused the state Nigerian National Petroleum
Company (NNPC) of misappropriating $20 billion (14.5 billion euros),
allegations that earned him powerful enemies across the government.
In an interview with AFP in Lagos, Sanusi said many of the
people advising Jonathan are sycophants who do not speak frankly about the
extent of corruption in government.
"When you sit with President Jonathan himself he
appears a nice simple person who is trying his best to do his best,"
Sanusi said.
"His greatest failing obviously is that he is
surrounded by people who are extremely incompetent, who are extremely
fraudulent and whom he trusts."
Jonathan, who has led Africa's most populous country and top
oil producer since 2010, is expected to seek another term in elections next
year, but must first overcome unprecedented divisions within his own party.
When Sanusi was removed, just four months before his tenure
was set to expire, analysts voiced concern that Jonathan was seeking to
sideline an increasingly vocal critic of his government's record on corruption.
- Rights threatened? -
Sanusi learned of his suspension while in Niger for a
regional meeting. He immediately returned to Lagos, where intelligence agents
from the Directorate of State Services (DSS) seized his passport.
On Friday, he secured a temporary order from the Federal High
Court in Lagos barring DSS agents or police from arresting him.
"I thought taking away my passport was the beginning of
infringement on my fundamental human rights," Sanusi told AFP, explaining
why he had already sought court protection.
Regarding the allegations against him, Sanusi said he had
earlier this year heard of a report condemning his performance and wrote to
Jonathan in "June or July" asking if an explanation was needed, but
received no reply.
The first time he was formally notified about the
allegations was the day he was suspended, he said.
He argued it would be too simple to describe his removal as
payback for his attacks on the NNPC.
"Since 2009 I have been annoying the government...
You've got people who think I have the wrong friends, people who think maybe I
have not distanced myself enough from people who are seen to be opposition
figures," he further said.
The list of his enemies may have been built up over years,
but the NNPC affair appeared to be the final straw.
- Unprecedented graft -
The NNPC has become notorious as one of the most opaque oil
companies in the world, but Sanusi said the extent of the graft may have
reached an historic high.
"I think everybody has known that NNPC is rotten. I
don't think it has ever been as bad as this," he told AFP.
He has levelled various accusations against the company, but
an alleged kerosene subsidy payment scam has received increased attention.
Even though the NNPC pays subsidies to kerosene vendors,
Nigerian consumers still pay full market price for the product.
According to Sanusi, the so-called kerosene subsidy money in
fact pays for "private jets...yachts... and expensive property in Beverly
Hills and Switzerland."
Sanusi has ruled out running for elected office, but said he
may still have a future in public service.
In the short term, he voiced readiness to face any attacks
that may be coming from those committed to preserving the status quo in a
nation where, despite massive oil wealth, most of the 170 million people live
on less than $2 a day.
"If I am sacrificed in whatever way, my freedom or my
life... if it does lead to better accountability it will be well worth
it," he said.
Comments
Post a Comment