Unini Chioma
Abuja – The Supreme Court of Nigeria has adjourned the case on the naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) till Wednesday, February 22 for hearing of the consolidated suits by 10 states.
The apex court, which heard the case on Wednesday, was filled to capacity with a retinue of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, other lawyers and the governors of Kaduna and Kogi states, Nasir El-Rufai and Yahaya Bello, respectively.
Court proceedings began with Justice John Okoro leading a seven-man panel.
He said the court should not lose sight of the case and its intention as it affects the suffering of Nigerians.
He makes opening remarks that he does not want us in court to behave like politicians.
That it is not about who complies or who doesn’t. That it is more about putting heads together to save our people from suffering.
At the last hearing, the Court had temporarily banned the implementation of the February 10 deadline of the CBN from making the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes legal tender.
The Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna states had instituted the suit against the Federal Government.
Other states, namely Niger, Kano, Ondo, Ekiti, had also applied to be joined in the suit against the CBN and the Federal Government.
Lagos State, through its Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, also applied, seeking to be joined in the suit.
In a dramatic twist, Edo and Bayelsa have also joined the Federal Government in suit by some States against the Federal Government on implementation of the Cashless Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Edo represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, told a panel of seven Justices of the Apex Court that it was in support of the Cashless Policy Regime and sought to be joined as respondent.
Bayelsa followed the suit when through its counsel, Mr Damian Dodo (SAN) announced support for the Federal Government and applied to be joined as respondent in the matter.
However, seven other states, Katsina, Lagos, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Sokoto joined their counterparts, Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara in the legal battle against the Federal Government.
The seven States in their respective motions for joinder pitched their tents with the three aggrieved states that initially filed the legal action.
Their joinder motion was moved by Mr Samuel Ologunorisa (SAN) and was granted by Justice John Okoro who presided over the matter.
The Court directed the plaintiffs to amend their originating summons to reflect the name of the seven fresh plaintiffs.
In the same vein, Bayelsa and Edo through their counsel, Damian Dodo (SAN) moved their application for joinder as respondents and was granted by the court following a no objection on the issue.
Justice Okoro also directed the Federal Government, Edo and Bayelsa to amend their statements of defense to reflect the new position of the case.
Meanwhile, hearing in the suit has been shifted to Wednesday February 22, 2023, following agreement of the parties in the matter.
In another drama, River has filed a separate suit against the Federal Government on the same matter.
Rivers through its counsel, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) stood its ground to team up with other states adding that it would prefer to do its case separately.(thenigerianlawyer.com)
