by Akan Ido

The embattled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has dragged President Goodluck Jonathan before a Feederal High Court in Abuja to challenge his suspension.

In a suit filed on his behalf by a team of lawyers led by Kola Awodein (SAN), Sanusi accused Jonathan of punishing him for making public some discrepancies discovered in respect of crude oil sale proceeds repatriated to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) between the period of January, 2012 and July, 2013.

Read the Punch report below:

He is asking the court to make an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants “from obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him, in any manner whatsoever, from performing the functions of his office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and enjoying in full, the statutory powers and privileges attached to the office.”

Urging the court to expeditiously grant his interlocutory application, Sanusi maintained that any delay might cause irreparable and serious damage and mischief on him in the exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN Governor.

He said, “The President’s continuing unlawful interference with the management and administration of the apex bank, unless arrested, poses grave danger for Nigeria’s economy.”

He insisted that the danger his suspension posed to the economy was enough reason for the court to grant his application and as a result make an order for status quo ante bellum to enable him to return to his office as the Governor of the CBN.