The Supreme Court of Nigeria was filled to capacity with a retinue of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, other lawyers and the governors of Kaduna and Kogi states present in Court for the hearing of the substantive suit on the naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
At the last hearing, the Court had temporarily banned the implementation of the February 10 deadline of the CBN from making the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes legal tender.
The Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna states had instituted the suit against the Federal Government and the CBN.
Other states, namely Niger, Kano, Ondo, Ekiti, have also applied to be joined in the suit against the CBN and the Federal Government.
Court proceedings began with Justice John Okoro leading a seven-man panel.
He said the court should not lose sight of the case and its intention as it affects the suffering of Nigerians.
Lagos State, through its Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo, also applied, seeking to be joined in the suit.
Bayelsa State, led by Damian Dodo, has also applied to be joined in the suit as a respondent. Similarly, Edo State applied to be joined as a respondent.
Considering the number of states that has applied to join in the suit challenging the FG and the CBN on Naira redesign and old notes deadline, the Supreme Court adjourned hearing of the substantive suit to February 22, 2023.
Justice Okoro said the adjournment was to allow the Court to reconcile the documents filed by state governments. Also, he said the ex-parte order injunction on old Naira notes deadline still subsist pending the hearing of the suit on February 22.