States insist on contempt charge against Malami and Emefiele

Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara States have finalized arrangements to bring contempt proceedings against Federation Attorney General Abubakar Malami, SAN, and Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele despite the Monday evening directive to commercial banks to accept and distribute old naira notes.

Tri-State Chief Counsel Abdulhakeem Mustapha, SAN, revealed to The PUNCH on Thursday that the press release issued by the CBN in which it ordered banks to accept old naira notes n It was just a camouflage to give the impression of conformity.

In its judgment of March 3, the Supreme Court extended the legal tender status of the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes until December 31.

In the ruling by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme Court found that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retired), violated the constitution in the way he issued guidelines for the overhaul of the naira.

The seven-man panel also slammed the president for his February 16 broadcast in which he said only the N200 note should be legal tender, in clear violation of the prohibition order issued by the Supreme Court.

The court ordered the old banknotes to be legal tender until December 31.

However, the AGF and the CBN Governor did not comply with the order despite pressure from the Nigerians.

Meanwhile, banks also refused to accept or distribute the old banknotes, citing the lack of CBN guidelines regarding judgment.

Following the execution of the judgment, the plaintiffs served the registered order and the certified copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court on the penultimate Friday of the AGF.

Following the respondents' refusal to obey the judgment, the plaintiffs threatened to file contempt charges against the two officials if they failed to obey the supreme court order.< /p>

On Monday evening, the CBN in a statement ordered banks to receive and disburse the old notes in accordance with the Supreme Court's instructions.

The statement signed by Acting Director of Corporate Communications, CBN, Isa AbdulMumin, reads: "In accordance with the established tradition of obeying court orders and upholding the principle of the rule of law that characterizes the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and by extension the operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as a regulator, depository banks operating in Nigeria have been required to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court of March 3, 2023.

"As a result, the CBN met with the Bankers' Committee and ordered that the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes should be legal tender alongside the redesigned notes until December 31, 2023. Therefore, all concerned are asked to comply accordingly.''

But speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, Mustapha dismissed CBN's statement as a gimmick, insisting the Supreme Court failed to comply with the Supreme Court order.< /p>

Lead counsel revealed that he received instructions from his clients to initiate contempt proceedings against the AGF and the CBN Governor.

He said: "The press release issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria is a mere cover-up to give the impression of conformity. There is no such thing. And our clients, Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara and the States, have told us that we should pursue the contempt suits already filed against the Attorney General and the Governor of the Central Bank.

“The decision of the Supreme Court has not been respected. They are in contempt of court. We will reactivate the contempt proceedings already initiated. There's a legal process around that."

On when Nigerians should expect the proceedings to begin, he said, “There is a legal process around this; over time you will see it. I can confirm that we have a clear mandate for our clients to pursue the contempt proceedings already initiated because it is clear to everyone that the CBN is just playing pranks.

"They are not sincere. And they act as if they are above the law. The constitution clearly states that all bodies and everyone must ensure that the decision of the Supreme Court be enforced."

AGF could not be reached Thursday for comment on the decision to file contempt proceedings against it as calls for its media assistant, Umar Gwandu, rang out.

He had not yet responded to a text message sent to him about this at the time of filing this report.

Furthermore, the CBN spokesperson did not respond to calls and a text message sent to him about plans to cite Emefiele for contempt.

Meanwhile, depository banks have begun to stop the disbursement of old and new notes in progress...