Tension rose as over 300 aggrieved youths converged in Abuja on Wednesday, to protest against the exparte order of the Supreme Court temporarily halting the move by the Federal Government to ban the use of the old Naira notes from February 10, 2023.
The protesters, who gathered at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s headquarters and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, gave the CBN their support and passed a vote of confidence on the CBN urging them not to back down.
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The protesters, armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Justice Ariwoola, resist plot to use our Supreme Court undermine democracy,’ accused the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola of allegedly working for the interest All Progressives Congress, its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and G5 Governors.
They urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to issue an executive order for the old notes not to be in circulation.
The leader of the protesters and coordinator of Civil Society Central Body, Obed Agu, called on Nigerians not to accept the old Naira notes in their own interest.
He called on Buhari to issue an executive order terminating the policy deadline, saying that corrupt politicians seeking extension want to buy votes.
Agu said, “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an executive order for the policy to terminate the February 10 deadline and prevent further extension. The Supreme Court wants to aid corrupt politicians in buy vote.
“The Supreme Court exparte application has no legal basis. We are rejecting it, because it is a plot to open the bank vaults to enable vote buyers and holders of illicit wealth to have cash to buy votes. We ask the CJN to hurriedly vacate the exparte order in the overall interest of the Nigeria election.
“We have suffered a lot in the hands of the Supreme Court in undermining any effort for credible election. The Supreme Court voided the card reader which aided and increased official election result rigging.
“The Supreme Court declared a man who came 4th in the election as governor of a state and that helped to destroy Imo state and the sanctity of the ballot. We won’t allow the CJN use the apex office to undermine our democracy and President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise of peaceful transition.”
