Sen Sani faults UK lawmaker’s claim Gowon took half of CBN when he left power

A former Nigerian lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to an allegation by a British Member of Parliament, Tom Tugendhat that former military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon took half of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), when he was exiting power.

Sani, in a tweet on Tuesday, described this as falsehood, while also stating that Gowon exited power without any evidence of wealth and that has remained for over four decades after power.

He tweeted: General Yakubu Gowon; The claim of ‘looting the CBN’ made by the British Minister for Africa as represented by Mr James Duddridge against Gen Gowon is nothing but outright falsehood. Gowon exited power without any evidence of wealth and that remains, for over four decades after power.”

Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) made the allegation on Monday during the debate on a petition on End SARS.

Gowon was Nigeria’s Head of State from 1966 to 1975.

Tugendhat, while decrying the situation in Nigeria, said: “One of the great countries is, sadly, being racked by violence, and violence against young people.

“The greatest book in the English Language is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the great Nigerian writer. The beauty of that book is the way it explains the challenge of changing generations to live together.

Read also: Sen Sani suggests ways to solve the #EndSARS challenge

“The way it speaks about values falling away and community being eroded by outside pressure. What we’re seeing in Nigeria today is part of that story.

“It’s a tragedy that we are watching, it’s a tragedy that we are all witnessing. The pressure this time is not foreign colonialism, the pressure instead is corruption and violence.

“We need to call out the corruption, we need to use the powers that we have in this country to stop those profiting from the wealth of that great nation and hiding it here.

“Some people will remember when General Gowon left Nigeria with half the Central Bank and moved to London.

“We know that today, even now, in this great city of ours, there are, sadly, some people who have taken from the Nigerian people and hidden their ill-gotten gains here.

“We know that our banks, sadly, have been used for that profit and for that illegal transfer of assets.

“And that means the UK is in enormous unique position in being able to do actually something to really exert pressure on those who have robbed the Nigerian people.”

Several other MPs, including Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet), Kate Osamor (Edmonton), Lyn Carol Brown (West Ham), Taiwo Owatemi (Coventry North West) made contributions to the debate.

They called on the Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, and the UK Foreign Office to engage Nigerian authorities and brief parliament subsequently.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now