Naira Crisis: Governors shouldn’t abuse immunity to commit treason — CSO

The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, a civil society organisation (CSO), has called on state governors not to abuse their immunity, as they’re not supposed to commit treason.

While addressing the nation on Thursday, February 16, 2023, the president ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to extend the deadline for the acceptance of the old N200 notes to April 10, 2023.

The president also said the old N500 and N1000 notes are redeemable at the apex bank and designated areas for 60 days.

However, the Governor of Kaduna State said the old and new naira notes are legal tender in his state till the Supreme Court declares otherwise.

The highest court of Nigeria on February 8, 2023 declared that the old naira notes remain acceptable and legal tender while determining a case pushed before the court by some state governors.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reaffirmed that its order remained the same, and adjourned the case till February 22, 2023.

The legal adviser of the CSO, Kalu Agu, in a statement on Saturday, described the actions of El-Rufai and his colleagues who shared the same views with him as “unconstitutional and illegal”.

“As a CSO, we sincerely align ourselves to the position of Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu and others when they asserted that governors of the APC are committing Treason against Nigeria’s sovereignty,” Agu said.

“Arising from the above provisions of the laws, can the Central Bank of Nigeria on its own volition call for legal tender redesign and the deadline for the use of old legal tender without the approval of the president?

“The answer with respect is a capital NO! How then will the APC governors be issuing contrary directives on the use of old naira notes when they do not have such powers either donated to them by the 1999 constitution, the Acts of the national assembly or even law from their state’s houses of assembly?

“The contrary directives issued by the APC governors that the old naira notes should continue to be a legal tender in their various states when the president had through the CBN issued a directive in that respect are treasonable.

“The contrary directives from the APC governors are not only unconstitutional, unlawful, and illegal but also highly inciteful, thereby aiding the populace to wage war against the federation.

“The APC governors cannot hide under the immunity clause as enshrined under section 308 of the 1999 constitution to be engaging in treasonable activities against the Sovereignty of this nation.”