The Supreme Court has fixed February 22 for the hearing of the suites filled by some state governors against the federal government over the cashless policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in old Naira note withdrawal.
Justice Inyang Okoro fixed the date after directing all parties involved to amend their processes to reflect the new position of their respective cases.
Meanwhile, Edo and Bayelsa states have pitched their tents with the federal government.
Edo and Bayelsa states counsels told the panel of seven man Justices of the apex court that they were in support of the cashless policy regime and sought to be joined as respondents.
However, six other states – Lagos, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Sokoto – joined their counterparts – Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara – in the legal battle against the federal government.
The six states in their respective motions for joinder pitched their tents with the three aggrieved states that initially ignited the legal battle.
Their joinder motion was moved by Mr Samuel Ologunorisa (SAN) and was granted by Justice Okoro who presided over the matter.
The court directed the plaintiffs to amend their originating summons to reflect the name of the six fresh plaintiffs.
In another drama, River State has filed a separate suit against the federal government on the same matter.
Rivers, through its counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), stood its ground not to team up with other states adding that it would prefer to do its case separately.
The Supreme Court had on Wednesday temporarily stopped the withdrawal of old Naira Notes from February 10.
A seven-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, halted the move in a ruling in an exparte application brought by three northern states of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara.
The three states had specifically applied for an order of Interim Injunction restraining “the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the commercial banks from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, the time frame with which the now older version of the 200, 500 and 1,000 denomination of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
Delivering ruling in the motion, Okoro, held that after a careful consideration of the motion exparte, the application was granted as prayed.
“An order of Interim Injunction restraining the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, or the commercial banks from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, the time frame with which the now older version of the 200, 500 and 1,000 denomination of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
He accordingly adjourned until February 15, for hearing of the main suit.
Moving the application on Wednesday, counsel to the applicants, Mr A. I. Mustapha (SAN), urged the apex court to grant the application in the interest of justice and the well-being of Nigeria.
He stated that the policy of the government has led to an “excruciating situation that is almost leading to anarchy in the land.”
While he referred to a Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, statistics which put the number of people who did not have bank accounts at over 60 per cent, Mustapha lamented that the few Nigerians with bank accounts could not even access their monies from the bank as a result of the policy.
The senior lawyer further argued that unless the Supreme Court intervened the situation would lead to anarchy because most banks were already closing operations.
Source: NAN
