A Senior Promoter of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has said it is off-base for the President, Significant General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to ignore the High Court request on the old naira notes.
The zenith court had in a break request limited the National Government from suspending the acknowledgment of the old naira notes.
Be that as it may, in an explanation on Friday, Ozekhome portrayed the request by the President as a ‘dicta, more as a tactical Declaration’.
The assertion halfway read, “Buhari, in his transmission on Thursday, February 16, 2023, singularly fluctuated the pinnacle court’s surviving request of support of business as usual, by guiding the CBN Lead representative such that ‘the old N200 banknotes be delivered once more into course… to circle as legitimate delicate with the new N200, N500 and N1000 monetary orders for 60 days… ‘
“The President then gave a dicta, more as a tactical Pronouncement, that, ‘in accordance with segment 20 (3) of the CBN Act, 2007, all current old N1000 and N500 notes stay redeemable at the CBN and assigned prints’.
“This request is an unmistakable infringement of and noncompliance to the current request of the zenith court which had proactively kept up with the state of affairs before the war of all gatherings associated with the Naira re-plan debate.
“The High Court had on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, after the principal break request, concluded the suit initially documented by the Lawyers General of Kano, Kogi and Zamfara states (other closely involved individuals were subsequently joined) to February 22, to empower it hear the whole matter comprehensively.”
The senior legal advisor added that Nigerians anticipated that the president should submit to the law, adding that by the defiance of Buhari, he had displayed the attribute of a Sovereign and Master.
Ozekhome said, “Each Nigerian had expected that the Central Government would regard this pinnacle court’s situation. Be that as it may, President Buhari challenged. He made himself Preeminent Pioneer; a Sovereign; Overlord, Mikado and Master.
“Buhari’s transmission to the country hence in a real sense overruled the High Court of the land, as it were and way just a tactical dictator might at any point examine.
“Buhari’s activity is a sign of the fanciful saying of dictatorial and tyrannical Ruler Louis XIV, who, on thirteenth April, 1655, remained before Parliament and imperiously pronounced, ‘L’Etat C’est Moi (I’m the State)”. This was to underline the way that he and he alone, had outright control over his Country.'”
Ozekhome expressed separated from being an immediate attack on the zenith court, Buhari’s structure could prompt confusion and rebellion.
He said, “Buhari’s imperious request was a front facing call to tumult, turmoil and public disturbance. It was an immediate attack on the power of the High Court, the most elevated court of the land; and furthermore the top of the whole Legal executive, the third arm of government under the principle of partition of abilities, generally capably promoted in 1748 by Noble de Montesque, an extraordinary French Thinker.
“To have unconventionally and whimsically changed the request for the High Court was to single out what request to comply or rebel. This penetrates the matchless quality of the 1999 Constitution accommodated in segment 1(1) thereof. It likewise visually attacks the arrangements of segment 287(1) of the Constitution which gives that ‘the choices of the High Court will be authorized in any piece of the League by all specialists and people, and by courts with subordinate ward to that of the High Court.'”
Making mention to the High Court, on account of ABACHA V. FAWEHINMI (2000) 6 NWLR (Pt. 660) 228 at page 317 E-F, he noticed, “‘A court request should be complied and regardless of whether it is a nullity, it must be saved on claim against it. Per NWALI SYLVESTER NGWUTA, JSC (Pp 25 – 25 Paras D – E). See likewise the locus classicus of Legislative head OF LAGOS STATE Versus OJUKWU (1986) 1 NWLR PT. 18, PG. 621.”
He exhorted the High Court not to permit this slide, since the President in his discourse suggested that the matter was under the steady gaze of the summit court.
Ozekhome said, “Here the pinnacle court ought to bristle some fur and nibble. This is all the more so on the grounds that President Buhari had himself recognized in his discourse, the pendency of the matter under the steady gaze of the High Court. Most likely, nobody is exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else; not even President Buhari himself.”