The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,Abubakar Malami, has urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the suit filed by three state governments challenging the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In a preliminary objection through his lawyers,Malami contend that the apex court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit. He averred that the came under the purview of the federal high courts.
Malam Nasir elRufia of Kaduna state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Bello Matawale of Zamfara had in an exparte motion challenged the naira redesign policy of the federal government and sought court’s intervention on the February 10 deadline for the phase out of old currency in the country.
The governors had implored the CBN to rescind its decision on the new naira notes .
But,pleading for the vacation of the order,Malami submit that the plaintiffs have equally not shown reasonable cause of action against the defendant.
Counsel to Malami , Mahmud Magaji and Tijanni Gazali,who citing section 251 of the 1999 constitution,argued that the suit fell within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in matters of monetary policy of an agency of the Federal Government.
He added:“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”
