President Muhammadu Buhari has been requested by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to give the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the order to promptly implement the Supreme Court judgement extending the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes....CONTINUE READING
Additionally, SERAP requested that the president publicly outline the steps his government is taking to comply with the court’s decision to abolish bank-imposed cash withdrawal restrictions since they infringe on the freedom of residents to utilize their property as they like.
The demands were presented by the civil society organization in an open letter to President Buhari dated March 4, 2023, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization’s deputy director.
In particular, it urged the President to outline the steps his administration is taking to ensure that the CBN quickly resumes issuing the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directive.
SERAP emphasized that there is a compelling public interest in knowing the specific steps the federal government and the CBN are doing to adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling in an efficient and satisfactory manner.
The group also said that if the government and CBN made public the steps they are taking to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling, Nigerians would be able to monitor and evaluate the degree of compliance.
It emphasized that the public’s faith in the rule of law and Nigeria’s democracy would increase if the government made the implementation measures widely available.
We would appreciate it if the requested information and suggested actions were carried out within seven days of receiving and publishing this letter, the letter says in part. If you still haven’t responded by then, SERAP will take all necessary legal measures to compel your government to abide by our demands.
“Your administration has violated the rights of the people by carrying out the CBN policy on redesigning the national currency.
“SERAP is worried about your government’s continued defiance of court orders as well as what appears to be a disregard for your commitments under the constitution and the rule of law generally.
As a matter of openness, justice, and the rule of law, Nigerians have a right to know the specifics of the extent to which your government and the CBN complied with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The idea that people should have access to information about their government’s activities is one that is reflected in the Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and human rights treaties to which the nation is a state party.
Your government is required by law to carry out the Supreme Court’s directives in a manner that complies with the CBN Act, the Nigerian Constitution, and the commitments Nigeria has to other nations.
“Our requests are made in the public interest and in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, the CBN Act, and the country’s international commitments, especially under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” according to SERAP.
