The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing in a suit filed by state governments against the Federal Government until February 22.
The suit filed by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states and joined by some states is seeking a restraining order to stop the full implementation of the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
When the matter came up last week, the Court had granted the ex parte application to restrain the authorities from giving effect to the February 10 deadline for invalidating old Naira notes – 200, 500 and 1000.
The court had fixed February 15 for the defendants to enter appearance in the case to argue their positions.
THE CONCLAVE reports that ex parte orders have a seven-day life span after which they can be vacated.
Between last week and today, Kano and Ekiti States, among others, had also filed their respective suits seeking to be joined in the suit.
In fact, feelers said that the Supreme Court had already joined eight states as parties in the suit filed by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states.
The Justice John Okoro-led nine-member panel joined the Attorneys General of Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti and Sokoto states as co-plaintiffs.
The Attorneys General of Edo and Bayelsa states were joined as co-respondents.
The states are seeking restraining order against the full implementation of the naira redesign policy especially the swap deadline.
The court ordered the original plaintiffs and the respondent – the Attorney General of the Federation – to amend the processes already filed to reflect the new parties.
At Wednesday, February 15 sitting, the Supreme Court adjourned hearing of the suit to February 22.
Zamfara, Kaduna and Kogi had approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria for reliefs on behalf of their citizens to challenge the February 10 CBN deadline for old naira notes to cease to be legal tender.
The Supreme Court in its ruling on February 8, directed all parties to maintain the status quo and quashed the February10, 2023 deadline till the determination of the case which was adjourned to February 15.
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