The Supreme Court says In February 8 decision, the court had stated: "This court considers that there is a real urgency for this court to intervene by the approval of this motion. This court has carefully considered this ex-parte application and the arguments in favor of same.
Therefore, this application is hereby approved as requested.
"That is to say, an order of interim injunction prohibiting the Federal Government of Nigeria, acting either directly or indirectly through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and/or the commercial banks, its agents; agencies, corporations, ministries, parastatals, organizations, or through any person or persons (natural or artificial) howsoever, from suspending or determining or ending on the 10th of February 2023 the timeframe within which the now outdated versions of the 200, 500 and 1,000 naira notes shall beNaira denominations may no longer be accepted as legal money while the plaintiffs/applicants' move on notice for an interim injunction is heard and decided.
However, the Supreme Court has set February 22 for the hearing of the lawsuit filed by the states of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara contesting the legality of the Federal Government's naira swap scheme.
The court set the date after adding the attorneys general of the states of Katsina, Lagos, the CR, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, and Sokoto to the original complaint brought by Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara as co-plaintiffs.
The Attorneys General of the States of Edo and Bayelsa were also added by the court as co-respondents. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who was initially designated as the lone respondent, won the support of both states.
The judge mandated that thelawsuits brought individually by the states of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara and the states of Nasarawa, Rivers, and Kano on the same matter should be combined.
Prior to the hearing scheduled for next Wednesday, the court ordered all parties to file their required paperwork.
Before adjourning, Justice Okoro instructed Kanu Agabi (SAN), the AGF's attorney, to counsel his client to guarantee that the public has access to cash.
"Tell your client to permit the circulation of money. The plaintiffs will arrive and withdraw the case if they use the ATM. Give the masses of poor people access to money.
You should be aware that a man who is hungry will become angry. I'm done talking, he said.
Agabi responded that Nigerians were merely blaming their problems on the administration poverty.
Many people lack financial resources. They attribute it to the AGF and the Fed Government. I lack money as well.
Things haven't been good for a while. The issues didn't start today, according to Agabi.
Governors of the states of Kaduna and Kogi, Nasir El-Rufai and Yahaya Bello, were present in court to observe proceedings.
After the court proceedings, Bello remarked that the states were not at war with the Federal Government over its cashless policy, but rather that they were merely worried about how it would affect the people who were now unable to access their money.
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