As controversy rages over the suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido, a renowned economist, Professor Pat Utomi has berated the tenure of Lamido as a Central Bank governor, describing his original appointment as “a huge mistake”
Reacting to the suspension of the controversial apex bank chief in a chat in Abuja, the Director of Lagos Business School, said Sanusi should never have been appointed as a Central Bank governor in the first place, declaring “it should not have happened”
Utomi joined two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana and Chief Mike Ozhekome who had issued legal positions on the suspension of the apex bank chief. While Falana blamed Sanusi for not resigning when so directed by President Goodluck Jonathan, Ozhekome cited alleged infringements of extant rules to justify Sanusi’s suspension.
FOLLOW: The Trent’s Special Coverage Of The Embattled CBN Govenor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
Utomi, however, faulted the nomination and appointment of Sanusi five years ago on the ground that the suspended bank chief lacked certain qualities of a Central Bank Governor
Utomi said: “It should not have happened. Sanusi’s appointments was wrong in the first place. He was not suitable for the job. CBN governors all over the World are men of great discretion in actions, pronouncements and deeds.”
READ: The CBN Act Gives The President The Authority To Suspend Or Remove The Governor – Ozekhome, SAN
READ: Femi Falana: My Thoughts On Sanusi Lamido’s Suspension
On Sunday, February 23, 2014, Utomi also took to social media to reveal his thoughts on Sanusi’s suspension.
See the tweets below presented in chronological order.
READ: Why President Jonathan Suspended CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido
READ: The Trent’s Special Coverage On Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
@tonyeneh @omojuwa b4 PHB issue I made a point about how professional CBs are run and counseled the new gov given his traits I knew
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 22, 2014
@tonyeneh one of the reasons institutions matter is that they prevent a strongman’s current crusade from blinding many to yesterdays wrongs
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 22, 2014
There are times when I feel so fortunate the central interest of my acada work the past 35yrs has been Institutions and Economic performance
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
As CBN gets in the newsI am glad for how my work has celebrated Nobel Winner Douglass North and his 1990 book on Institutns change nd perfom
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
I also feel good that I made big play of Obama's 1st speech in Africa as Pres. Africa needs strong institutions not strong men he s in Accra
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
Even more pleasing my 1998 buk Managing Uncertainty used CBN to discuss institutions and uncertainty in economic decision making. Wow momemt
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
You can imagine why linking my view on SLS to agro on PHB makes me suggest getting an education on how Institns evolve, beginning with North
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
@AbangMercy you cannot trample on the human and property rights of people and expect yours will be sacred. Nothing to do with issue of NNPC
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
@AbangMercy the matter of accountability for his time at CBN must be seperated from the allegations of missing money. Was CBN reckless- yes
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
Institutions are about level playing grounds and boundaries that make outcomes more predictable. The SLS reforms were arbitrary showmanship
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
A gullible public looking for who to lynch completely missed the fact that it may have done some good here and there but overall set us back
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
@SegunSopitan I agree. In Business Angel as missionary I talk about my anxieties for Banks and the different perspectives of 2 friends
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 23, 2014
