EXCERPTS FROM THE JUST CONCLUDED PRESIDENTIAL MEDIA CHAT IN CASE YOU MISSES IT!

President Goodluck  Jonathan has justified his action of suspending the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, saying the presidency has  oversight function on the apex bank.

Indeed, he explained that the suspended Governor of the CBN  is still the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria until investigations into the allegation are concluded.


He added that it is after investigation that the presidency will approach the Senate to seek his removal.

He said: “CBN issue is not even well defined in the constitution, if you look at section 152, others like the Federal Character Commission, Civil Service Commission, Code of conduct about 14 of them were clearly defined. it says that for the President to appoint or remove he must go to the senate, CBN as number one bank in Nigeria, the president has over sight function on CBN. So if anybody tells you that CBN is not under the control of the president, it is not true.”

President Goodluck Jonathan also restated the commitment of his administration to fighting insurgency within the North Eastern part of the country, explaining that the security agencies are gaining grounds in the fight but “the negative aspect is often highlighted.”

Indeed, he said that the military has been able to push the insurgents to the far side, adding that Nigeria will soon get over the problems.

He spoke during the Presidential Media Chat lamenting the statement of Governor Kashima  Shettima of Borno state over the state of equipment  the insurgents are using and that of the Nigerian Armed Forces, saying, “the statement of Borno Governor is unfortunate if the governor feels that the military is not good enough, we will pull back the troops and let see what will happen.”

President Jonathan said categorically that he would not appoint a military administrator of Borno State, just as he calledon the Boko Haram group to dialogue as the government is still open to dialogue.

While lamenting the situation in the power sector, President Jonathan attributed the problems of epileptic power situation to sabotage, “the problem we have is a case of sabotage. People  blowing up gas pipelines. People will get over the initial problems of transmuting from government control to private sector control”