Protest Rocks Abuja Over Supreme Court Order Suspending Naira Swap February 10 Deadline

Hundreds of aggrieved youths converged in Abuja on Wednesday to protest against the Supreme Court exparte order temporarily halting the move by the federal government to ban the use of old Naira notes of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations from February 10, 2023.

The protesters, who stormed headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) in the Central Area of Abuja, passed a vote of confidence on the apex bank, urging it not to back down on the currency swap policy.

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Justice Ariwoola Resist Plot To Use Our Supreme Court Undermine Democracy,’ the protesters accused the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and PDP G-5 Governors’ interest.

They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to issue Executive Order for the old Naira notes not to be in circulation beyond February 10, 2023.

Meanwhile, a group known as the Civil Society Central Body has warned Nigerians not to accept the old Naira notes in their own interest.

The group’s coordinator, Obed Agu, who also led the protesters, urged President Buhari to issue an Executive Order on the policy Naira swap deadline, saying that corrupt politicians were seeking extension in order to buy votes.

Agu said, “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an executive order for the policy to terminate the February 10th deadline and prevent further extension. The Supreme court wants to aide corrupt politicians buy vote.

“Supreme exparte application has not legal basis. We are rejecting it, because it is a plot to open the bank vaults to enable vote buyers and holders of illicit wealth to have cash to buy votes. We ask the CJN to hurriedly vacate the exparte order in the overall interest of the Nigeria’s election.

“We have suffered a lot in the hands of Supreme Court in undermining any effort for credible election. Supreme Court voided the card reader which aided and increased official election result rigging. The Supreme Court declared a man who came 4th in an election as Governor of a State and that helped to destroy Imo state and sanctity of the ballot. We won’t allow the CJN use the apex office to undermine our democracy and President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise of peaceful transition.”