PETITION AGAINST DISOBEDIENCE OF SUPREME COURT RULING BY THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA AND COMMERCIAL BANKS

With humility, I have the authority of the governing board of the Center for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) to intimate you with this civil society organization which is at the vanguard of agitations for transparency, accountability, responsibility and respect for the rule of law in our national life via civilized means of engagement.

We wish to bring to your notice for immediate action, a case of flagrant disobedience to lawful court order by the central bank of Nigeria and commercial banks which amounts to contempt of court and an assault on our democracy and constitution.

As you are aware honourable attorney general and minister of justice Sir, sequel to the pains and agony that Nigerians have been subjected to in the last couple of weeks as a result of the poor and inhuman implementation of the naira redesign policy with it’s attendant undermining of national security and our democracy, three states governments of Zamfara, Kaduna and Kogi approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria for reliefs on behalf of downtrodden Nigerians and businesses who have had to endure the punishments and provocation of not being able to access their personal legitimate funds and to arrest the drift to anarchy symbolized by the 10th February 2023 CBN deadline for old naira notes to cease to be legal tender.

In it’s ruling on 8th February 2023, the Supreme Court directed all parties to maintain the status quo & quashed the 10th February 2023 deadline till the determination of the case which was adjourned to 15th February, 2023.

Sir, we were very glad to read in the media of your pledge as the nation’s number 1 law officer, to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court, even when you made it known that the federal government was going to approach the apex court at the next adjourned date to seek an upturning of the order.

However Sir, we were shocked when our attention was drawn to a memo dated 13th February 2023 from a commercial bank to it’s branches and other cash points affiliated to the bank, directing the non acceptance of the old naira notes in utter contravention of the ruling of the Supreme Court which subsists till the 15th of February 2023. Surprisingly, from reports monitored across the country, we can confidently report that most of the commercial banks in the country are refusing to accept the old naira notes as a medium of exchange in contravention of the laws of our land.

We also have it on good authority that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) irresponsibly and in utter disregard for our democracy and constitution, passed the information surreptitiously to the commercial banks to disobey a subsisting court ruling which represents the law of the land that you swore on oath to uphold at all times.

Attorney general and minister of justice, we don’t want to bore you with the implications of this disregard to the laws of the land by this subversive action of the central bank of Nigeria and commercial banks, but we must warn that this assault of our laws by the CBN and the commercial banks, is an invitation to anarchy which is condemnable and must be addressed appropriately.

Therefore Sir, we are demanding that as the chief law officer of the federation, you file for contempt of court against the CBN and it’s accomplices before the apex court tomorrow for their flagrant disobedience of a lawful court order.

We are also demanding that you immediately rein in the CBN and it’s conspirators commercial banks to upturn their anti democratic and unconstitutional action of rejecting the old naira notes in disobedience to the court ruling pending the final determination of the suit.

As democrats, one of the guiding and cherished principle of democracy is the respect for the rule of law which this ruling symbolizes and must not be allowed to be trampled upon by any person, group or institution.

Sir, we would be very glad to see you publicly address this assault on our constitution and democracy by the CBN and commercial banks who should not be allowed to toy with the destiny of over 200 million people for reasons other than our collective interest.

Please, find attached with this petition, a copy of the commercial bank memo dated 13th February 2023 as well as a memo from the CBN revealing that she is the initiator of the assault on our democracy by the disobedience to lawful court order.

Sir, please accept the compliments of our high regards

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thanks.

Your’s Sincerely,