ACF to FG: Comply with court order on old naira notes

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on the Federal Government (FG) to comply with the Supreme Court order extending the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes to December 31, 2023.

The ACF said President Muhammadu Buhari is under oath to defend the Constitution of Nigeria, noting that the failure of the Federal Government to comply with the Supreme Court order has led to severe cash shortage and chaos in the country’s economy.

Condemning the hardship being faced by Nigerians over the scarcity of the old and new denominations, the Forum said ten days is enough for the government to find a way to comply with the apex court order.

The ACF said this via a statement issued on Sunday by its Secretary General, Murtala  Aliyu.

READ ALSO: Abia govt threatens to sanction those rejecting old naira notes

It stated: “Whatever the CBN or anyone else say about the benefits of the policy, which evidently are many, is of little comfort as soon as the highest court in the country has deemed that it is, or, at least the manner of its implementation, breaches the law.

“Ten days is long enough time for the government to find its way towards complying with a court order which import is central to the achievement of peace, order and good governance in the country. President Buhari is under oath to defend the constitution of Nigeria.

“As his long-term supporters, it will be remiss of us if we fail to warn that the much-touted benefits of the naira redesign can never justify the damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law.

“This is quite a part from the real possibility of the crisis morphing into a serious social disorder leading to the possible breakdown of law and order throughout Nigeria.

“We do not believe nor can we advise him to pay such a heavy price on account of a policy whose immediate goals are not entirely clear to a majority of Nigerians,” the ACF said.

The Star