By 
ABUJA–The decision of the Federal Government to phase out the N200, N500 and N1000 old Naira notes as valid legal tenders, has created a wide rift among various states of the federation.
Though only three northern states- Kogi, Kaduna and Zamfara- initially instituted an action to challenge the new monetary policy that was introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, however, when the matter came up before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, seven other states applied and were joined as co-plaintiffs in the suit.
The states the apex court allowed to come into the case to challenge FG’s decision, were; Lagos, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Sokoto states.
Similarly, President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, Katsina, also persuaded the court to allow it to file legal processes to nullify the new monetary policy.
On the other hand, Edo and Bayelsa state threw their weight behind FG and the CBN.
The two states, through their various Attorneys-General, secured nod of the apex court to join the case as co-respondents in the suit that originally had only the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, as the sole respondent.
However, both Rivers and Kano state told the court that their own case was different, insisting that they raised recondite issues of law that were not part of what the original plaintiffs submitted for determination.
Specifically, the two states, maintained that aside from the issue of the old banknotes, they have a grouse with the N5million and N100, 000 cash withdrawal limits the CBN okayed for corporate entities and individuals, respectively.
Owing to the fresh twist in the case, a seven-man panel of Justices of the court, ordered Kogi, Kaduna and Zamfara states to amend their initial Originating Summons to reflect the new states it joined as interested parties in the matter.
The panel headed by Justice Inyang Okoro equally directed the plaintiffs to ensure that they file and serve all the respondents with the relevant processes, before Friday, even as it adjourned further proceedings in the matter till next week Wednesday.
Comments