Popular attorney and human rights campaigner Femi Falana (SAN) has denounced the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for allegedly disobeying the Supreme Court’s interim injunction suspending the use of the old banknotes deadline of February 10.
Recall that after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, CBN governor Godwin Emefiele, the CBN altered the date originally planned for the old notes’ legal tender status to expire from January 31 to February 10.
But on February 8, the Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the CBN and the Federal Government from carrying out the February 10 deadline.
Falana, however, claimed that the administration was not prepared to abide by the judgment during a live appearance on Tuesday’s episode of Channels TV’s The 2023 Verdict, according to a report by the network.
“In a country where the rule of law operates, once the Supreme Court has determined a matter or given an order, it is expected that all and sundry – everybody – will comply with the order,” Falana said.
Falana further said that a statement credited to the CBN that it would not comply with the order of the apex court because it was not a party to the case could only be tenable in a “banana republic”.
He said, “(A) statement was credited to the central bank that since it was not a party to the case, it’s not going to comply with the order. I thought that could only happen in a banana republic.
“I expected the central bank to have issued a statement following the order of the Supreme Court: ‘all actions are stale until the 15th of February.”
The SAN further stated that individuals disobeying court orders should be made an example of, emphasizing that no one should believe they are above the law.
“For me, an example has to be made this time around, so that nobody will feel that he’s above the law in our country,” he added.