The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has been informed by the Rule of Law Advocacy and Accountability Center, to take action against Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, and Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank, for not following the Supreme Court’s orders.
On Tuesday, the group issued a statement that was signed by Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Executive Director of RULAAC. In the statement, the group said that it wasn’t convinced by the statement made by the President’s spokespersons that Buhari didn’t tell the Attorney General of the Federation or the governor of the Central Bank to disobey the Supreme Court’s order.
When Malami and Emefiele were both accountable to the president, it did not make sense, according to Nwanguma, for the president’s spokespersons to make excuses for him.
Keep in mind that the Supreme Court decided on March 3, 2023, that the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes would remain legal tender until December 31, 2023. The court ruled that the president’s February 16 directive to invalidate the N500 and N1,000 notes—with the exception of the N200 notes, which he stated would be valid until April 10—was invalid because it was issued “without due consultation.”
However, RULAAC pointed out that the AGF and CBN governor were public officials and that the president was in charge. In addition, they stated that Buhari had failed to set a good example in previous court decisions directing the release of Omoyele Sowore, El-Zakzaky, and Nnamdi Kanu.
“It does not make sense for President Buhari’s spokesperson to make excuses for the President, saying he did not direct the Central Bank Governor or the Attorney General of the Federation to disobey Court Orders,” reads a portion of the statement.
“At last, the buck stops on the President’s table and what Nigerians need to hear, is how the President has called to arrange, uncivilized authorities of his administration under his watch when they act unjustly. The only way to show that he opposes lawlessness is through this.
“First and foremost, the President must set an example by demonstrating that he respects and adheres to the rule of law and opposes disobedience to court orders. When the courts repeatedly issued orders for the release of Omoyele Sowore, Dasuki, El Zak-zakay, and Nnamdi Kanu, the President did not demonstrate this.
“The orders of international courts have also been ignored in the case of Nnamdi Kanu, who remains in illegal detention in contemptuous disregard of the numerous orders of the Appeal Court.
“Let Buhari demonstrate to Nigerians that he stands against disobedience to court orders and that he respects the rule of law by taking actions against the Attorney General and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and by complying with existing court orders to release Nnamdi Kanu,” the petition reads.