₦airaland Forum

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, says the Supreme Court has yet to take a decision on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy that stipulates a February 10 deadline for old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes.

This comes after a seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice John Okoro, in a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, granted an interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing the CBN’s ultimatum.

The judgement followed a motion ex-parte on behalf of three northern states – Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara – filed on February 3rd, by their lawyer, AbdulHakeem Mustapha (SAN), praying the apex court to halt the CBN naira redesign policy.

But Ozekhome, in live appearance on The 2023 Verdict, Channels Television’s special election programme, clarified that the judgement was not a conclusive stance on the CBN’s currency swap policy.

“The Supreme Court has not decided the matter. All it has done is to fall back to a decision like Kotoye v. CBN, that in matters of extreme urgency, you can grant an interim order, even if it be ex parte, to prevent the subject matter of the suit being truncated.

“If, for example, the Supreme Court, did not make that order, and the only order existing is that of the High Court, it means that the CBN, by 10th of this month, will stop the use of all old notes.

“But what the Supreme Court has said is, ‘Just wait, let us listen to you people,’ not that it has decided that Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna states have any valid case that is actionable because the action is already being challenged with a preliminary objection.

“It is another way of saying, ‘Let us first drive away the fox before we blame the fowl for wandering too far into the forest,’” he said

House Of Reps Speaker, Gbajabiamila Unhappy With Cashless Policy Because Tinubu Can’t Deploy Bullion Vans On Election Day –Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that some bank executives are conniving with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the distribution of the new naira notes in a bid to frustrate the policy.

Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said this in a statement sent to SaharaReporters on Monday in reaction to a statement made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

He said the viral videos showing government agencies busting banks hoarding the new naira notes were clear evidence of sabotage.

The statement read, “Intelligence reaching us is that the APC is in collusion with some top bank executives to frustrate the policy of the CBN. As shown in several trending videos posted by government agencies on social media, hundreds of millions of naira are in bank vaults but the banks are deliberately refusing to distribute them.

“It is no secret that all the commercial banks are headquartered in Lagos where Bola Tinubu holds sway as godfather.

“The ultimate goal is to frustrate the policy so that the APC will be able to bring out the old notes it has stashed for the sole purpose of vote buying and distribution with bullion vans. For this reason, we commend the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and the ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) for exposing these unscrupulous bankers.”

Atiku further lambasted Gbajabiamila for allegedly using his position as the 4th most senior elected official in the country to play cheap politics.

He advised Gbajabiamila to play decent politics like the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The statement added, “It is the height of idiocy for the nation’s number four citizen to play cheap politics with a monetary policy introduced by his own party which is in power. Gbajabiamila wishes to become the chief of staff to Tinubu in the event that Tinubu wins so his overzealousness is quite understandable.

“However, his attempt to bring Atiku into this issue shows how mischievous he is. Gbajabiamila summoned the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, last week where they reached an understanding and issued a resolution which the House and the CBN agreed to.

“But because he is already seeing the imminent defeat of his master at the polls, he is now playing dirty politics.

“Nigerians must note that this is a policy being implemented by an APC government. However, the likes of Gbajabaimila are too timid to approach President Buhari to reverse this policy. His aversion for this CBN policy has nothing to do with the masses. It is about the inability of his master to deploy bullion vans on election day.”

Shaibu in the statement described Gbajabiamila as a hypocrite who pretends to be on the side of the masses during crisis but is actually working for his own selfish reasons.

He recalled that during the eight-month strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the House of Representatives Speaker pretended to be on the side of the lecturers only for him to abandon them at sea.

“Gbajabiamila promised the lecturers that they would be paid their arrears. After the lecturers called off their strike, he denied making the statement in the first place. Such a liar should not be believed by the masses.

“When dirty petrol was imported last February, Gbajabiamila set up a committee to investigate it. Till date he has done nothing about it. The fuel scarcity has continued to linger for over eight months but he remains mute.

“This is the same man who scuttled the ongoing probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at the House of Representatives for selfish reasons.”

Shaibu said with defeat staring the APC in the face, the ultimate aim of Gbajabiamila and his ilk is to ensure that the election is postponed.

“This coming week the APC will sponsor protests and riots in strategic parts of the country all in a bid to force the hand of the President to reverse this policy. The EFCC and the ICPC must continue to raid banks and arrest bank workers for hoarding the new notes. The notes must be made available to honest Nigerians.

“However, huge volumes of the new notes must not get into the hands of unscrupulous politicians who plan on using bullion vans to distribute money on election day. The desperate APC must not be allowed to steal this election,” he said.

Psalmy2cute:
But even you know that.. yes truly .. tinubu is going no where … when there’s Obi in the south and Atiku In the north.. all he’ll get is stray bullets

candygist:
Use that one to console yourself. The election is just few days away. Don't come and shout that INEC as rigged the ellection when your obi doesn't come second.

ChangetheChange:
Tinubu was wishing for Wike to win the PDP presidential primary but Atiku emergence has distorted Tinubu's presidential ambition

mcmurphy132:
You self wan chop Omo Igbo money

duro4chang:
North central? I doubt it. North central is not only one state.

lhordspy:
Pa adebanjo said if the candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi lose this election. The southern Christians may never produce any president in this country again.
https://www.nairaland.com/7552721/ayo-adebanjo-obi-loses-christian#120594219

Well, I love the fact that few days to election. The truth is starting to come out eventually, we are starting to embrace being plain and clear as to our reasons for supporting our preferred candidate, other than hiding behind the motives of nationalism. But what Pa adebanjo fails to understand is that, he just shot himself right in the foot by spewing those very sensitive statements.

Now let's look at the list of the head of state we've had over the past years in general. Since 1960 till date. They include:



As we can see from the list above:

* 6 different times we have had a Southern Christian as head of state.

* After independent, the first and second head of state were both Christians from the south.

* In the last four administration, we have had 2 Southern Christian President and 2 Southern Christian vice President.

We have not at any point in time been ruled by a Southern Muslim . So Pa. Adebanjo an Elderstateman using religious partition and sentiment not even competence anymore to play politics is our newest low in the chase of and clamour for Unity in this country. And it only painted the Labour party movement in a bad image. A justification of the echo and objections of people towards what the party actually stand for ; a party created, driven on the bases of religious/ethnic division and partitioning.

ahiboilandgas:
TInibu a Muslim southerner in a leading political party is not southern enough for the bigots in southern Nigeria to become president from the south? The bigots want there own narration of who is a southerner. If the south cannot unite behind TINIBU to get the presidency and split there votes in LP and APC then they should be ready for United pdp and ATIKU presidency .

seunjungle1:
The way politics is in southern Nigeria. It is not that easy for a southern Muslim to become president in Nigeria... Take a look at the two presidents that southern had produced, they (Obj and Jonathan) are Christian.

The same religion-political atmosphere we are having in southern Nigeria politics is what they are having too in the northern part whereby a northern christian cannot become a president in Nigeria except if God want it.

I so much happy that southern is very lucky to have a brilliant candidate like Asiwaju this time around to correct the abnormal situation that sounds our Religion-Political space in the south and I wish him success.


That a southern man cannot become a president in Nigeria again by Pa Ayo Adebanjo is a false statement. Christians always be the beneficiary whenever presidency is thrown to the south.
A case study is the current situation of Asiwaju a Muslim man vying for the position of number one Nigerian.
Some Christians in the south don't want him there, hiding at the back of Muslim Muslim ticket.

Nigerians know very well that no man or agenda can Islamize or Christianize Nigeria or Nigerians.
Asiwaju is coming

Alcatraz001:
I have been away from Nairaland for over 3 years and have seen the total destruction of every facet of National life by the APC. I, and millions of Yorubas, nay Nigerians have also witnessed the vehement support given to the current administration by Bola Tinubu.

While watching from the sidelines, I could not help but notice the shameful descent into the abyss of base ethnic bigotry by APC boys on Nairaland and Twitter, who purportedly pose as Yorubas, to insult and denigrate the mere existence of our igbo brothers. This shameful election and campaign strategy has intensified with the national acceptance of Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

As a yoruba man, I urge all Nigerians to disregard any insinuation that sentiments expressed by this social media accounts reflect the opinions of Yorubas in Nigeria. As we can all attest to, the Afenifere and Baba Olusegun Obasanjo have all come out to endorse Peter Obi. And I want to assure all
Nigerians who have suffered for the past 8 years that we Yorubas will do the needful on February 25.
Do not be tempted to think that Yorubas are tribal bigots as being falsely represented by certain elements on social media, who are paid partisan hacks.

This election has nothing to do with tribe and Yorubas don’t have a problem with our igbo brothers. Nigerians are United in their resolve to reject Bola Tinubu and vote out APC at all levels.

I want Nigerians to know that as we get nearer to the election, Bola Tinubu and his media handlers will get increasingly agitated and intensify their ethnic and religious messages to divide Nigerians. Most of them will purport to speak for Yorubas on social media. But I urge Nigerians to ignore them as the last kick of a dying horse. The DSS should pay particular attention to the trolls on social media who will seek to pit one Nigerian against the other. The elections must hold and must be seen to be free, fair and credible.

Alcatraz.

actionnigga:
Governor Udom Emmanuel says Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has nothing to bring to the table for Nigerians, hence his decision to abuse people and rain insults during his presidential campaigns.

He has also said that despite being insulted by the one time Lagos State Governor, he would prefer to allow peace to reign by ignoring him and focusing on helping install good governance to rescue Nigerians from their present woes.

The Governor spoke on Monday evening at Government House, Uyo while inaugurating newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen and Members of Boards and Commissions, as well as a Transition Committee to ensure the smooth transition of power to the next administration.

Tinubu during his rally in Uyo Monday afternoon, said, “Akwa Ibom, that Boy were bring Atiku here, were de call himself Governor, tell him enough is enough! He lives in my backyard in Lagos, If no be say we be one I would driven him home. You see that mansion he is living, I would just use lizards, pigeons and scorpions and put inside.“

But reacting few hours later, the Akwa Ibom State Governor said, for the country to remain at peace, one party must ‘play saint’ and that is why he would refrain from replying Tinubu.

The Governor who is the Chairman of the PDP presidential campaigns stated that, “I also go to other states, and if you watch our campaigns, my principal (Atiku Abubakar) has never spoken about any Governor, he has never spoken openly about Asiwaju before.”

Mr Emmanuel said it was unfortunate that Tinubu, who was granted State owned facilities such as the airport, security, stadium, and a good atmosphere to come in and sell his manifesto, ended up coming to insult the integrity of over 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people.

The Governor wondered if it is possible for any Akwa Ibomite to go to Lagos that Tinubu stays or the actual State that he hails from, to insult him in like manner and still be allowed to safely return home, “but here our people at the Stadium including some state governors just laughed and applauded him”.

“What makes him think he will govern Nigeria? If I reply him now, people will call me and say, haba oga you are not like that. But I will reply him one day. There is nothing like ‘emilokan’ (it is my turn)here, Nigeria is in God’s hands.”





The Akwa Ibom State Chief Executive thanked the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries for accepting the onerous task of service and urged them to see themselves as ambassadors and work towards raising the bar of leadership which will encourage productivity and promote good working relationship with subordinates in the service.

“This is one thing I promised Akwa Ibom people that appointment of Permanent Secretaries shall be totally on merit ; let those that can do the work be given the opportunity. Permanent Secretary is not a promotion, it is an appointment on merit.

Governor Emmanuel also reiterated his commitments towards enhancing efficiency within Civil Service, noting that during his administration civil servants have been promoted on yearly basis, adding that before he exits office more Permanent secretaries will be appointed into the service to fill vacant positions left by the ones who retired.

Addressing Chairmen of Boards and Commissions, Governor Emmanuel who described them as pillars in government, acknowledged their commitment particularly, Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection & Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA) Prince Akpan Ikim, for winning laurels for the state through his outstanding performance in keeping and making the state the cleanest in Nigeria for five consecutive years from 2018 through 2022, and tasked others to create an impact that will stand them out.

In the same vein, the Transition Committee members were handed the task of ensuring a seamless transition of government to an incoming administration...
Read more
https://noisemakerng.ng/2023/01/31/i-will-not-respond-to-tinubus-abuses-he-has-nothing-to-offer-nigerians-gov-emmanuel/

sotall:
These religious bigots do not even hide their islamic agenda anymore.

They come out with their full chest and threaten the country if thier religion is not represented in everything.

And Christians are sleeping and folding their hands as some of them are being deceived to vote for a muslim muslim ticket.

If it were a Christian Christian ticket, Nigeria would have been up in flames even before the election.