Arewa Group Lashes President Buhari Over Supreme Court Order On Old Naira Notes

By Akinwale Kasali

The failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to adhere to the orders of the Apex Court over the Old Naira notes have been condemned by the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF.

The Supreme Court had ordered that the Old Naira Notes of N200, N500 and N1,000 remains a Legal Tender till December 31, 2023, as against the order of the Central Bank of Naira and President Buhari who said that old Naira note of N500 and N1,000 cease to be a legal tender.

However, amid the lingering scarcity of new Naira notes as a result of the recent currency redesign,and its attendant hardship on the citizens, the ACF,  described President Buhari action as a damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law.

The Northern socio-political Group in a statement issued by its Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu Sunday, lamented that the Naira redesign policy has led to runaway inflation in food and other commodities.

The group said, “Whatever the CBN or anyone else says about the benefits of the policy, which evidently are many, is of little comfort as soon as the highest court in the country has deemed that it is, or, at least the manner of its implementation, breaches the law.”

The ACF also warned that the crisis has the possibility to morph into a serious social disorder leading to a possible breakdown of law and order throughout Nigeria.

The group said 10 days are long enough time for the Government to find its way towards complying with a Court order which import is central to the achievement of peace, order and good governance in the country.

The ACF highlighted that huge crowds and long queues form around bank offices and ATM points across the country as people struggle to get the new cash which have remained extremely scarce.

“It has triggered riots and other forms of civil unrest,” it added.

“President Buhari is under oath to defend the Constitution of Nigeria. As his long term supporters, it will be remiss of us if we fail to warn that the much touted benefits of the Naira redesign can never justify the damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law,” the ACF said.