16 states challenge naira redesign policy at supreme court
By Our Correspondent
Five more states have joined the suit challenging the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
They are Kano, Niger, Jigawa, Nasarawa, and Abia states.
Rivers state had joined when all the suits were consolidated earlier on Wednesday. Given the new additions, there are now a total of 16 states as co-plaintiffs.
The suit was initiated by Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara before the supreme court, seeking to restrain the federal government from giving effect to the deadline on the use of old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes.
On February 8, the supreme court restrained the CBN from giving effect to the deadline following an ex parte application brought by the three states.
Since then, other states approached the apex court to be joined in the suit.
Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Lagos, and Sokoto states subsequently joined as co-plaintiffs, while Edo and Bayelsa states joined the AGF as defendants.
At the court session on Wednesday, Emmanuel Ukala, representing Rivers, applied that the separate suit filed by the state should be consolidated with that filed by other plaintiffs.
The application was granted by a seven-member panel of the apex court.
The states are arguing that the implementation of the policy has caused untold hardship for Nigerians.
The court is still in session to hear all the motions brought by the states.
