NIGERIA (Abuja)-Following his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan, the embattled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has taken the matter to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to challenge the power of Mr. President to suspend him.

According to the suit he filed through his lawyers led by Chief Kola Awodein (SAN), Sanusi said his purported suspension was as a result of some discrepancies he discovered in respect of amounts repatriated to the federation account from the proceed of crude oil sales between the period of January, 2012 and July, 2013.

He maintained that his sin was that upon discovering the financial anomalies, he had cause to inform the National Assembly considering the fact that the revenue of the federation and the national economy was directly affected.

The suit further stated that Sanusi’s purported suspension by President Jonathan was aimed at punishing him for the disclosures he made with regards to how revenue that accrued to the federation was being mismanaged.

Sanusi contended that the President did not approach or obtained the support of the Senate, saying his discussions with several lawmakers including Senator Bukola Saraki, confirmed that the decision to oust him from office was unilaterally taken by the Presidency.

Sanusi therefore urged the court to restrain President Jonathan, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, from giving effect to his purported suspension from office as the CBN Governor, pending the determination of his suit.

In an affidavit he deposed in support of the suit, Sanusi said: “I have been informed, and I verily believe the information given to me by Senator Bukola Saraki to be true and correct that the senate did not give the President any support for my purported suspension and removal from office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria”

It was his prayer that the court should order the maintenance of status quo ante bellum, which he said should be that he should return to his office as the Governor of the CBN.

Sanusi further averred that the actions of the President in suspending him from office were contrary to provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act relating to the appointment and removal of the CBN Governor.