I didn’t sack Emir Sanusi, $49.8bn never went missing in my govt – Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted claims that he dismissed Muhammad Sanusi as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) due to allegations that $49.8 billion went missing from the country’s coffers.

Speaking on Thursday at the launch of the book Public Policy and Agents Interests: Perspectives from the Emerging World, Jonathan clarified that Sanusi was suspended because the Financial Reporting Council questioned CBN’s expenditure during his tenure, which had come to an end. Jonathan further explained that an international audit firm was brought in to review the CBN’s finances, and no missing funds were found, contrary to Sanusi’s earlier claims.

According to Jonathan: “Let me mention that I did not agree with some issues raised by one of the contributors. But I don’t intend to join issues because he is our royal father. And he is here.

“The one he raised that he was sacked because he blew a whistle that the Federal Government lost $49.8 billion is not quite correct. He was not sacked, he was suspended because the Financial Reporting Council queried the expenditure of CBN. And there were serious infractions that needed to be looked at. That was the reason.

“But somehow, the time was short. So before we finished, his tenure elapsed. Probably, he would have been called back.

“On the issue of $ 49.8 billion, till today, I am not convinced that the Federal Government lost $49.8 billion.

“And that year, our budget was $31.6 billion. So for a country that had a budget of $31.6 billion to lose about $50 billion and salaries were paid, nobody felt anything. The researchers that wrote this book need to do further research.

“And more so, when our revered royal father came up with the figures. First $49.8 billion, later $20 billion and later $12 billion. I don’t even know the correct one.”