Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo state, has asked the federal government to obey the supreme court ruling on the implementation of the naira redesign policy.
On Friday, a seven-member panel of the apex court held that the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, 2023.
The ruling overturned the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive, which President Muhammadu Buhari had backed. The president had maintained that old N500 and N1,000 notes were no longer legal tender, with April 10 fixed as the deadline for N200.
Akeredolu, in a statement issued on Friday, said the decision of the apex court is in tandem with Ondo state’s position on the issue.
Naira Redesign: Malami, Emefiele Misled Buhari To Assume Powers Of An Emperor, Says Akeredolu
He said Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, and Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), “misadvised” the president to “assume powers of an emperor”.
“We salute the industry and courage of the Justices of the Supreme Court for the well-considered ruling,” Akeredolu said.
“The CBN Governor and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice misadvised the President to assume powers of an Emperor answerable only to himself and no other authorities as enshrined in the law.”
The governor lamented that small businesses are collapsing at an alarming rate.
“We have been regaled with tales of the dehumanisation of ordinary Nigerians who have been forced to strip themselves naked in banking halls weeping to be given their monies kept with the banks. Some have lost their lives, needlessly, for being unable to access their deposits in the banks upon demand,” he said.
“The Governor of the CBN acted most irresponsibly when he claimed to be exercising powers, which the CBN Act does not invest in his office.
“He was quoted as saying that he was fighting corruption, money laundering and vote-buying. He acted, ultra vires, goaded by his political permutations.
“The AGF equally misled the President to act beyond the limits of his executive powers. Nigerians have been punished unduly.
“As the Supreme Court has pronounced, the law must be allowed to rule. There are statutory functions allotted to bodies in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.”
‘LETTERS OF THE LAW ARE SIMPLE’
If those in positions of authority embrace less mischief, Akeredolu said, the letter of the law is straightforward and understandable.