BREAKING: Kano Govt Sues FG Over Naira Redesign Policy

The Government of Kano State has dragged the Nigerian government to court.

Kano State on Thursday evening filed a suit against the Federal Government at the Supreme Court in respect of the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In suit number: SC/CS/200/2023, sighted by The PUNCH, the Kano State Attorney General, through his Counsel, Sunusi Musa, SAN, is asking the apex court to declare that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), cannot unilaterally direct the CBN to recall the now-old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes without recourse to the Federal Executive Council and National Economic Council, respectively.

The Kano government is praying a mandatory order seeking a reversal of the Federal Government policy to recall the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes from circulation due to the policy affecting the economic well-being of over 20 million Kano citizens.

The applicant is also seeking for mandatory order, compelling the Federal Government to reverse the naira redesign policy for alleged failure to comply with 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The applicant is similarly praying for mandatory seeking the apex court to compel the Federal Government to reverse the cash swap policy for allegedly not complying with the 1999 constitution and other extant legislation.

“A Declaration that the combined reading of the provisions of the section 148(2) of 1999 constitution and Part 1, and Paragraph 19 of the Third Schedule thereof, the President cannot unilaterally without recourse to the Federal Executive Council and National Economic Council respectively give approval to the Central Bank of Nigeria for the implementation of cash withdrawal limit pursuant to the demonetization economic policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the suit read.

In the originating summon, the Kano State Government, further prayed for a declaration, that the president’s directive to the CBN for the implementation of cash withdrawal limits policy pursuant to the demonetisation of Federal Republic of Nigeria without recourse to FEC and NEC respectively is unconstitutional, illegal null and void.

The applicant is also praying for a mandatory order reversing the policy of the Federal Government on the recall of the old currency notes for allegedly failure to comply with the provisions of Constituiton and other extant legislation.

Recall that on Wednesday, the Supreme Court gave an interim order to the CBN not to end the use of old naira notes on February 10, 2023 in an exparte application by the three applicant states including Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara.