UPDATE: SUPREME COURT CONSOLIDATES ALL SUITS BY STATE GOVTS AGAINST FG
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- Declines to join Abia and Plateau States to the suit
The Supreme Court on Wednesday consolidated the suits instituted by the ten state governments against the Federal Government challenging the implementation of the naira redesign.
The court, however, refused to join Abia State in the suit on the ground that it came late with its originating summons.
All efforts by Abia and Plateau State Governments to be joined in the suit, was turned down.
It asked all other states to await its decision on the matter.
A motion for the consolidation was also argued by the Counsel for Rivers State, Emmanuel Ukala.
Moving the motion on notice, Ukala premised the consolidation request on the need for the suit to be heard without any hinderance since the matter bothers on same issue.
The head of the 7-man Supreme Court panel, Justice John Okoro, granted the request and ordered consolidation of the ten suits into one.
Thus, the plaintiffs in the suit are the Attorneys General (AGs) of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos states while the defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as well as the AGs of Bayelsa and Edo states.
The Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, had before the court went on 10 minutes short break, drew attention to the fact that it had yet to receive any process from FG, in respect of the case.
Onigbanjo noted that with the development, the planned hearing of the consolidated suits of the states may be hampered.
However, before the Lagos AG could conclude his submission, the apex court panel restated its resolve to ensure that the matter was expeditiously heard and determined.
“We want to make it very clear that we are going to hear this matter today because we don’t want a situation where the judiciary will be made a scapegoat.
“With the way this matter is going, they want to make the judiciary a scapegoat but we can’t allow that.
“We are going to hear everything and take our decision. If you have a contempt proceeding, we will also hear it today”, leader of the panel, Justice Okoro stated.
Meanwhile, Zamfara state, through its lawyer, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, urged the apex court to set-aside the broadcast that President Muhammadu Bihari made on February 16, wherein he okayed only the old N200 banknote to remain a legal tender till April 10.
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