The Nigerian Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has petitioned Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to overturn the Supreme Court’s judgment barring the Federal Government from enforcing the February 10 deadline for the validity of old 200, 500, and 1000 naira notes.
During a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s National Coordinator, Obed Okwukwe, claimed that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
“We say it categorically that the Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain that matter that has been presented before it by some state Attorney General. We the CSOs are rejecting it.
“It is a plot to open bank vaults to enable vote buyers and holders of illicit wealth to have cash to buy votes. We urge the CJN to hurriedly vacate the Ex-parte order in the overall interest of the Nigerian election,” Okwukwe said.
He stated that the Supreme Court has the right and original jurisdiction to hear disputes between states and the federal government under the 1999 Constitution as amended. The rights activist stated that the naira redesign programme is a policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and has the support of the Federal Government, and hence should not be considered by the Supreme Court.
The Quest Times had reported on Wednesday that the Supreme Court restrained the Federal Government from implementing the February 10 Deadline for the old naira notes.
Three northern states — Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara — had in a motion ex-parte filed on February 3rd, by their lawyer, AbdulHakeem Mustapha (SAN), prayed the apex court to halt the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy.
A seven-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice John Okoro, in a unanimous ruling, granted an interim injunction restraining the FG, CBN, commercial banks etc from implementing the February 10 deadline for the old 200, 500 and 1000 Naira notes to stop being a legal tender.
The court further held that the FG, CBN, commercial banks must not continue with the deadline pending the determination of a notice in respect of the issue on February 15.
By this ruling, the old Naira notes continue to be legal tender in Nigeria.