By Albert A. Macauley
Great men are named twice unlike other men who are born lucky through no efforts of theirs. This is a case in point in reference to the suspended Bank Governor of Nigeria, SanusiLamidoSanusi by the stroke-of-luck-president Goodluck Jonathan.
For president Goodluck Jonathan to have suspended the Governor after he had exposed the biggest scam in the Nigeria oil market is suspect and in my view nothing short of treason against the people of Africa's most populous nation. The suspended Governor was speaking the minds of millions of Nigerians who are tired of the massive corruption in the country. With such magnitude of exposure by the central bank Governor, one would have expected heads to roll and prompt changes pressed to stop the siphoning of the country's oil revenue.
Imagine NNPC admitting to the short fall of $10.8billion as being unaccounted for or shrouded in shady expenditures. By the account of the Governor, the actual figure is much higher and he was prepared to back his assertions with facts and figures.
I expected President Goodluck to pat the Bank Governor on the back "for a job well done". But rather the president suspended him - effectively sacked him - just a few months before he was due to retire. What more evidence does anyone need for a possible collusion.
For President Goodluck to have turned a blind eye and even attempted to cover these massive corruption is sad for Nigeria. The people of Nigeria deserve the best from their president and they found it in the person of SanusiLamidoSanusi. For this, I think the Sanusi deserves to be the next President of Nigeria so he can continue the fight against massive corruption that is slowly eating away the fabric of the Nigerian society.
It is time for President Goodluck Jonathan to take a bow and make room for people with integrity and probity to run the state of affairs in Nigeria. Nigeria is supposed to be the Champion of Africa and must lead by good examples. Nigeria needs a strong and conscionable leader and strong institutions to survive. Imagine a country so rich in oil with its people struggling to eke out a living save for a handful of corrupt officials enriching themselves at the expense of the masses.
To all intents and purposes, the suspended Bank Governor is a man of stature to step into the position of President to turn Nigeria into an industrial nation with increased quality of life for its people. For SanusiLamidoSanusi to have taken the courage to have looked at President Goodluck Jonathan straight in the eye and exposed the massive corruption taking place right under his nose without fear or favour deserves our attention as a man who means well for the progress and development of his country. This is an eye-opener for many Bank Governors of African States to borrow a page from the integrity and probity of SanusiLamidoSanusi.
First, Sanusi challenged the pay rise for politicians. Under threat of contempt of the House of Assembly he stood against their salary increment showing detailed figures of how a higher percentage of the total government budget had been spent on senators and House Representatives. With the glaring view of the public after the exposition of their high salaries and perks, the politicians shamefully backed down. Since then, the name SanusiLamidoSanusi was written with indelible ink in my heart as a man who can stand up for the rights of the people against all odds. For such a man to ascend the Presidency of Nigeria, it will be a turning point in the history of Nigeria because not only will he make a difference but he will rule justly and equitably to the delight of the people of Nigeria and the World over.
Despite being aslucky as history shows him to be, President Goodluck Jonathan's bid for another term in office would have been successful if he had supported the discovery and the unravelling of the massive corruption in the oil fields as disclosed by his Bank Governor who is also his chief financial and economic adviser. But he failed, woefully, to give him all the praises and accolades, and instead tried to tarnish his image by suspension. The Nigeria public are no fools and they can read between the lines and will eventually decide the fate of President Goodluck Jonathan sooner or later in the next General Election.
I beg to differ when President Obama who said that Africa does not need strong leaders but rather strong institutions. My own perception is that we need both strong leadership and strong institutions to survive in this changing world. Take, for example, the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria. It is relatively very weak compared to past regimes. This is a comparison I hate to make but it is necessary to show that different leadership styles fit different circumstances to be effective.
General Abacha was a dictator, no doubt, but he was able to unify Nigeria. And in my view even his ghost is much stronger than President Goodluck's leadership.
Point Number one – Can you ever imagine Delta State crisis with kidnapping and extortions under General Abacha? No way!
Point Number two – Can you also imagine the mayhem of the Boko Haram sect causing destruction and loss of life and fermenting disability in Nigeria? God forbid it – not under the nose of Abacha.
Point Number three – Can you imagine President Goodluck Jonathan not able to control his kith and kin from his own home state of Niger Delta disrupting the oil flows and scaring away investors? Abacha will not think twice to wipe out his kith and kin who are trying to destabilise Nigeria and his government.
Point Number four – Can you imagine General Abache as Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces allowing his army to be playing hide-and-seek with Boko Haram rebels? Abacha would have nipped it in the bud from their first attempt to attack anyone or any Christian and Educational Institutions in Northern Nigeria.
Point Number five – Can you imagine someone or a group kidnapping General Abacha’s uncle in broad day light? This is a daring affront to the Presidency.
The fearless and patriotic leader Nigeria needs - with integrity and probity - is Sanusi Lamido Sanusi over the weakling President Goodluck Jonathan. I wish Nigerians would declare the suspended Bank Governor as a NEEDED man for the Presidency of NIGERIA.
(C) Politico 03/04/14
