February 22, (THEWILL) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday, insisted that it would hear and rule on the consolidated suit filed against the Federal Government for implementing the February 10 deadline to phase out the old naira notes.
The apex court, however, refused the application by the Abia State Government to join in the suit, stating that it came in late.
Justice John Okoro noted against the argument of the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, to prohibit the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, from defending the Federal Government because it had acted in contempt of initial court orders.
But, Justice Okoro 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.”
The apex court also consolidated the suits instituted by 10 State Governments against the Federal Government, challenging the implementation of the naira redesign at the resumed hearing following last week’s adjournment.
At the last sitting of the apex court on February 15, more states had joined Kaduna, Zamfara and Kogi States as co-plaintiffs, while Edo and Bayelsa States joined on the part of the Federal Government as co-defendants.
Moving the motion for the consolidation, counsel for Rivers State, Emmanuel Ukala, said it was premised on the need for the suit to be heard without any hindrance since the matter bothers on the same issue.
Justice Okoro, who duly granted the request, ordered the consolidation of the 10 suits into one, with the joint plaintiffs being Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos States.
The suit was initiated by Governors Nasir El-Rufai, Bello Matawalle and Yahaya Bello seeking to compel the Federal Government to extend the February 10 deadline for the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes to be legal tender, pending the determination of a notice in respect of the issue.
The case was adjourned till February 22, when the suit was first heard on February 15.
