–Says Apex Court Lacks Jurisdiction To Entertain Suit
Abubakar Malami , the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the suit filed by three state governments challenging the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Malami, in a preliminary objection through his lawyers, argued that the apex court lack jurisdiction to entertain the suit. He averred that the came under the purview of the federal high courts.
Recall that three state governors, Malam Naair elRufia of Kaduna state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Bello Matawale of Zamfara had in an exparte motion challenged the naira redesign policy of the federal government and sought the courts intervention on the February 10 deadline for the old currency to cease to be a legal tender.
They asked CBN to rescind its decision on the new naira notes .
Pleading for the vacation of the order in a courts filing gleaned by this paper, Malami said “the plaintiffs have equally not shown reasonable cause of action against the defendant.”.
Counsel to Malami , Mahmud Magaji and Tijanni Gazali said the State Governments’ suit said the Federal Government through its agency, the CBN, to withdraw old banknotes from the financial system and introduce new ones.
Citing Section 251 of the Constitution, the defence lawyers argued that the suit fell within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in matters of monetary policy of an agency of the Federal Government.
“The claims or reliefs are not against the federation, but the Federal Government and its Agency, the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria is distinct from the Federation or the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Plaintiffs have no grievance whatsoever against the Federation of Nigeria.
“This suit has disclosed no dispute that invokes this (Supreme) Court’s original jurisdiction as constitutionally defined,” the AGF added.
