Civil Society Organization Commends Supreme Court Verdict on Redesign Naira Notes Deadline …Calls it as Stabilizer of Nigeria’s Democracy
A civil society organization Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) has commended the Supreme Court verdict extending the use of old naira notes as a legal tender beyond the deadline date of 10th February 2023 set by the central bank of Nigeria.
The organization through it’s executive director Nelson Ekujumi via a statement released today Wednesday 8th February 2023, noted that the “Judiciary has once again risen to the occasion and proven to be the last hope of the common man by this landmark verdict which has gone a long way not only in stabilizing Nigeria’s democracy, but also in saving the country from a looming economic, social and political crisis that has been engendered by the naira redesign policy which has caused the common man, untold hardship and agony”.
The group particularly commended the states governments who took the patriotic and democratic option of approaching the apex court for an interpretation of the law and for securing a big relief for Nigerians from the dehumanizing and agonizing ordeals that they have been subjected to in order to access their legitimate funds in the banks and other dispensing points in the last couple of weeks.
CSER noted that “With the shoddy and politicized handling of the naira redesign policy by the CBN which has resulted in untold hardship for Nigerians and businesses and has constituted a threat to national security and democracy, no one is in doubt any longer that the sinister plot of the initiators of the policy which is believed to be laudable, is to cause public disquiet and truncate the peaceful and successful conduct of the 2023 general elections”.
According to Nelson Ekujumi, the organization commended Nigerians for remaining calm and law abiding and urge them to remain so, even in the face of the provocative ordeal unleashed by the CBN and it’s political allies who have continued to insult our collective sensibilities by holding press conferences, issuing threats and obtaining court order to maintain the status quo of threat to national security, pains and agony for Nigerians and businesses so that their evil plot against our democracy can be actualized.
The group then used the occasion of the reprieve granted by the Supreme Court verdict which has calmed down frayed nerves and raised the hopes that the pains and agony that Nigerians have been subjected to in accessing their legitimate cash is about to be resolved, to reiterate it’s call on the national assembly to pass a resolution of a vote of no confidence on the CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele and demand his sack from office for incompetence, irresponsibility, insensitivity and acts that threaten national security and democracy.
CSER called on the federal government to immediately reverse the policy which from it’s wicked and dehumanizing implementation has caused more pains, agony, hardship and constitutes a threat to law and order.
CSER also demanded that the federal government should immediately ensure the availability of PMS at official pump price at fuel stations and save Nigerians from the exploitation, extortion and pains they have been subjected to in accessing petrol in the past few months nationwide so that the peaceful and successful conduct of the 2023 general elections is not undermined.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
Nelson Ekujumi,
Executive Director.