Wike Reacts As Supreme Court Gives Order On Deadline For Old Notes

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to prevent the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from implementing the old naira notes deadline.

WITHIN NIGERIA previously reported that a seven-member Supreme Court panel led by Justice John Okoro, in a unanimous ruling, restrained the Federal Government, Central Bank of Nigeria, and their agents and commercial banks from enforcing the February 10 deadline for the now-outdated 200, 500, and 1000 naira notes to cease being legal tender.

The Supreme Court also barred the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and commercial banks from meeting the deadline until the issue was resolved in a notice issued on February 15.

Wike praised the Supreme Court on Wednesday for saving democracy by preventing the CBN from prohibiting the use of old naira notes.

The Rivers governor stated that some elements were determined to derail the ongoing democratic process and that the Supreme Court’s intervention is timely and appropriate.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign rally at County State School in the state’s Emilaghanin Abua/Odual Local Government Area.

Rivers To join Suit Against Naira Swap Deadline

Wike also disclosed that the state would join the suit filed at the Supreme Court to challenge the deadline for the naira swap policy, stressing that the policy is anti-people following the hardship it had inflicted on the economy.

He said:

I want to, on behalf of the Rivers State Government, commend the Nigerian Supreme Court for what they have done today (Wednesday) to save the masses of this country and to save democracy.

Today, the Supreme Court has stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from embarking on stopping the old Nigerian Naira notes from circulating.”

And let me commend my brother states like Kogi state, like Kaduna, like Zamfara state who took it upon themselves to go and challenge the federal government at the Supreme Court.

I also want to say that the Rivers State Government will join them in that suit to challenge what the CBN is doing. We will not support anything that will go against the masses, anything that makes the masses suffer.