Naira Redesign: Ekiti Joins Suit Against Federal Govt

Ekiti State government has applied to be joined as a co-plaintiff in a suit against the federal government at the Supreme Court on the naira redesign policy and the deadline issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the swap of old notes for new ones.

The application for joinder was filed on Friday at the Supreme Court by the Ekiti State attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN) seeking three reliefs.

The suit with the number SC/CV/162/2023 has attorneys- general of Kaduna State, Kogi State and Zamfara State as plaintiffs while the attorney-general of the federation is the defendant.

The three reliefs  sought by f Ekiti State are: “Leave of this honourable court to join the applicant as a co-plaintiff in this suit.

“An order of this court joining the attorney-general of Ekiti State as a co-plaintiff in this suit; and

“And for such order or further ordered that this honourable court may deem fit to make in this circumstance of this suit.’’

Some of the grounds upon which the application was premised are acute shortage in the supply of naira notes in the state since the announcement of the policy by the federal government through the CBN.

The applicant averred that the directive of the Federal Government of Nigeria has affected the livelihood and has inflicted excruciating pain and hardship on all Nigerians, including the people of Ekiti State.

The state government averred that the directive of the Federal Government of Nigeria has also adversely affected the revenue, levies and taxes accruable to the coffers of Ekiti State government as economic activities in the state are now completely paralysed.

He further averred that the directive of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the naira redesign has also created palpable anxiety among the citizens of Ekiti State.