Kano State governor Umar Ganduje said he is in support of former Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to sack Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2014.
Ganduje said this at the launching of a book on Jonathan written by journalist Bonaventure Philips Melah in Abuja.
“Jonathan took a bold step in sacking Sanusi as CBN Governor, which created bad blood in certain circles,” Ganduje said.
When Sanusi said $49 billion was lost in Jonathan’s government, I said in my mind that No, you could have discussed with him (Jonathan) privately.
“You (Sanusi) could have given him this clue and then he would know how to investigate even before those who had stolen the money would find a way of hiding the money.”
Jonathan in April 2014 sacked Sanusi as CBN governor over claims that $49 billion was stolen by some persons under his government.
Two months after he was sacked as CBN governor, former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, appointed Sanusi as the Emir of Kano in June.
Ganduje was Kwankwaso’s deputy governor. He said Sanusi was not deserving of the appointment in the first place.
The Kano State governor said Sanusi’s enthronement was a plot to spite former President Jonathan.
“Sanusi was appointed Emir of Kano not because he was the best man for the throne but to retaliate what Jonathan did to him,” Ganduje said.
“That was in order to prove that what Jonathan did to him was wrong and that the people of Kano wanted their son as Emir and therefore they decided to appoint him as Emir.”
Sanusi’s reign as Kano emir had a torrid relationship with Ganduje after he became Kano governor in 2015.
Kano State Government anti-graft agency in September 2019 accused Sanusi of misappropriating funds meant for the emirate to the tune of over four billion naira.
The government also accused Sanusi of using his position as emir to convert landed properties of the emirate into private use. Sanusi, however, denied all the allegations against him.
Sanusi and Ganduje’s subtle war came to an end in March 2020 when the Kano State Government dethroned him and announced Aminu Ado Bayero as emir of Kano emirate.
On the decision to remove Sanusi, Ganduje said, “Actually, I have no regrets.”
He described Jonathan’s sacking of Sanusi as a ‘medicine’ he decided to use to the same person for the same reason.
“When I became governor, (that’s why you will laugh), I said yes, the Jonathan medicine is an important medicine,” Ganduje said.