Naira Swap: Those Against Supreme Court Judgement Are Misguided – Matawalle

Governor Bello Mattawalle of Zamfara State has slammed critics of the  Supreme Court over the ruling on the old naira notes deadline.

Recall that a seven-man panel of the apex Court led by Justice John Okoro, in a unanimous ruling, restrained the Federal Government, Central Bank of Nigeria and their agents and commercial banks from implementing the February 10 deadline for the now-old 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes to stop being a legal tender.

The apex court also stopped the Federal Government, CBN and commercial banks from continuing with the deadline pending the determination of a notice in respect of the issue on February 15.

Naija News reports that the suit to stop the CBN from enforcing the February 10 deadline for the phasing out of the old naira notes was filed by the Governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states.

Speaking through his media aide, Zailani Bappa, governor Matawalle said he was fully convinced that those against the suit and subsequent triumph at the court were either misguided or blinded by political chauvinism.

He expressed dismay that some political parties and disgruntled politicians were challenging the decision of the apex court which was rightfully taken in the interest of the ordinary Nigerian and the survival of Nigeria’s micro-economy.

The governor believed that the decision of the Supreme Court Judges on the matter was the best way to address the current problem and its impending consequences at the moment.

He said, “I and my Kaduna and Kogi states counterparts found it necessary to approach the Supreme Court to save Nigeria’s economy from being plunged into more crisis.

“Our action will also relieve the excruciating pain the ordinary Nigerian is experiencing in the face of scarcity of both the old and new naira notes”.

“It is common sense to say that the CBN and Commercial banks must make the new Naira notes available for day-to-day business transactions before the old naira notes are declared illegal.

”I believed that the decision of the Supreme Court Judges on this matter was the best way to address the current problem and its impending consequences at the moment.

“At this critical time of our transition, it is only patriotic for all of us to put political considerations aside and address the challenges at hand so that together, we can cross the bridge ahead of us.”