Malami Asks Supreme Court To Dismiss Naira Redesign Suit, Says Case Outside Original Jurisdiction Of Court

Nigeria’s Minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami has asked the Supreme Court of the federal republic of Nigeria to dismiss a suit by 3 states, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Kogi States over the lingering scarcity of both old and new Naira notes, occassioned by the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday temporarily halted any plans to ban the use of the old naira notes across the country.

The ruling was issued on Wednesday morning by a seven-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, halting an exparte application brought by three northern states of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara.

Justice Okoro also adjourned the matter until February 15 for a hearing of the main suit.

But, according to Malami the plaintiffs have not shown the reasonable cause of action against the defendant, in court filings dated February 8, 2023, which was reported by Channels TV on Wednesday evening.

The report stated that the preliminary objection was filed by the AGF through his lawyers – Mahmud Magaji and Tijanni Gazali, adding that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction for such monetary matters, he said:
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“The plaintiffs have equally not shown the reasonable cause of action against the defendant”
“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.”