The Centre For Human Rights & Accountability Network (CHRAN) has asked the Supreme Court of Nigeria to commit the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele to prison for disobeying its order on the monetary policy.
Speaking exclusively on the CBN policy today on Advocate Broadcasting Network (ABN) television show, in Uyo, the State Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong lamented the negative effect of the policy caused by poor implementation of the policy.
The court had directed CBN to maintain the status quo by allowing collection of new and old Naira notes until February 15 when the exparte motion filed by three states in the country against the Federal Government would be adjudicated to.
Also read: New Naira notes: CHRAN warns banks against imposing hardship on Akwa Ibom people
However, the apex bank defied the order and directed commercial banks in the country to stop collecting old N200, 500, 1000 notes with effect from February 15, though the apex court has fixed February 22 to hear the substantive suit.
In his nationwide broadcast on Thursday morning, President Muhammadu Buhari directed CBN to allow collection of new and old N200 for 60 days, when the old will cease to be a legal tender.
Comrade Isong maintained that it was the position of the human rights group that nobody is above the law of the land, hence the need for the CBN Governor to be jailed for contempt of Court in order to serve as a deterrent to other lawless political office holders in the country who treats Court orders with contempt.
Isong regretted that the Court which, the CBN Governor ran to when he was faced with threats of arrest and losing his job on allegation of sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria, is the same Court he was treating with disdain and odium.
The apex Court had while considering the matter filed before it by three State governors against the Federal Government of Nigeria in connection to the monetary policy of the CBN, ordered that both the old and new Naira notes remain legal tenders in Nigeria pending the determination of the suit.
But the CBN Governor has insisted that the deadline for the old notes to be legal tenders was Friday, 10th February, 2023, leading to commercial banks rejecting the old notes in the midst of scarcity of the redesigned Naira notes.
Meanwhile, CHRAN has urged Governors of the 36 states of the federation to immediately commence enforcement of the order of the Supreme Court on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) monetary policy, in their respective States.
The assertion was made on Wednesday by the State Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Isong when he led members of the human rights group on a courtesy visit to the Station Manager of Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, Mr. Eddy Ekpenyong in his office.
Comrade Isong who lauded the Supreme Court for extending its earlier order that the old and new Naira notes remain legal tenders pending the determination of the suit brought before it by some state governors, berated the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, for disobeying the court order.
The CHRAN urged the apex court to commit Mr. Emefiele to prison to serve as a deterrent to other public office holders in the country, adding that no one is above the law. He observed that the CBN policy has brought untold hardship to Nigerians, thus the need for a review of the policy in line with the current realities in the country.
The CHRAN boss used the visit to inform the management of Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, of the CHRAN 2023 Governorship Town Hall Meeting being organized by the civil society group in collaboration with other civil society groups, non-governmental organization, professional bodies and the media for all the candidates of the registered political in Akwa Ibom in order to deepen democracy in the state.
He solicited for partnership with Comfort FM towards the successful hosting of the event.
Responding, Mr. Ekpenyong, the Station Manager of Comfort 95.1 FM, commended the CHRAN for planning to the Governorship Town Hall Meeting.
He noted that the platform will advance the cause of democracy in Akwa Ibom, expressing readiness to partner CHRAN towards the event.
