The Supreme Court says it will rule over a consolidated suit instituted by 10 state governments against the federal government to challenge the implementation of the redesigned naira notes, Punch is reporting.
Counsel for Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, urged the court to bar the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, from defending the respondents. She argued that the “issue of contempt, supersedes issue of jurisdiction”.
However, Justice John Okoro, who is heading a seven-man panel of the apex court, said: “You are not a stranger to this country. We don’t want a situation where the judiciary will be a scapegoat. We refuse to be the scapegoat.
“We are hearing this matter today. We don’t intend to keep this matter longer… whether they obey it or not”.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are general attorneys of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos states. Similarly, the defendants include Attorney General of the Federation, Malami, as well as the general attorneys of Bayelsa and Edo states.
However, the Supreme Court adjourned its judgement to March 3, 2023.
