The Supreme Court says that it has refused to allow the judiciary to be used as a scapegoat in the current disagreement between the Federal Government and State Governments over the naira redesign policy implementation.
This was as the apex court consolidated the suits instituted by the 10 state governments against the Federal Government challenging the implementation of the naira redesign policy.
This was made known on Wednesday by Justice John Okoro of the Supreme Court while responding to the issue of contempt of court raised by the Counsel to the Lagos State Government, Moyosore Onigbanjo, against the Federal Government.
Onigbanjo had during the proceeding prayed the court to prohibit the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, from defending the respondents while acting in contempt of initial court orders as he “comes tongue in cheek to ask for reliefs”.
He stated that the “issue of contempt, supersedes issue of jurisdiction”.
Court doesn’t intend to keep the matter longer
- Justice John Okoro of the Supreme Court in his response to Onigbanjo said, “You are not a stranger to this country.
- ‘’We don’t want a situation where the judiciary will be a scapegoat. We refuse to be the scapegoat.
- “We are hearing this matter today. We don’t intend to keep this matter longer… whether they obey it or not.’’
Back story
- Following complaints from Nigerians and several interest groups, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) extended the deadline for the swap of old N200, N500, and N1,000 from January 31 to February 10.
- The Supreme Court, in the suit filed by the states, temporarily barred the Federal Government, the CBN and commercial banks from going ahead with the February 10 deadline pending the determination of the substantive suit on February 22.
- However, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a national broadcast last Thursday, directed the apex bank to release old N200 notes into circulation to co-exist with new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes for 60 days — by April 10, 2023. He also said old N500 and N1,000 banknotes cease to be legal tender in Nigeria.