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” The Supreme Court Is Not Final Because It Is Infallible. It Is Infallible Because It Is Final,”_ Late Retired Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
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The Supreme Court Must Prove That It Can Bark And Bite_Mike Ozekhme (SAN)
Beware of February 22! It’s a day set aside, expectedly, for the Supreme Court to deliver final judgement on the crisis ridden Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN monetary policy which has generated much dust to blur the vision of Nigerians.
For the federal government, that matter remains a subtle temptation. But for the Honourable Justices and some crafty Politicians, it’s trouble abound.
Since the first hearing of the case, the profile of matter has swell as over ten serving Governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC extraction have joined in the suit against the CBN and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
At the other end, two serving Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, joined the federal government in the matter.
But the matter reached its peak when President Muhammadu Buhari, through his pronouncements in a nationwide broadcast, seemed to over-rule an earlier judgement by the Supreme Court that the ₦200 old note would be allowed to co-exist as legal tender with the new banknotes until April 10.
This antithetical disposition, pitched the aggrieved APC Governors against the President who insisted that the status quo must be maintained following the decision of the supreme court, the final albita.
Buhari threw spanners in the works as renowned senior lawyers, in an apparent bid to defend their sinking supposedly noble profession, kicked, describing the President’s pronouncements as a slap on the judiciary, and flagrant disregard to the rule of law.
The aggrieved APC Governors on the other, wailed,” and accused the President of barefaced betrayal, a calculated attempt to frustrate their political aspirations, and further pauperise the Nigerian populace who are already thrown into untold hardships consequent upon their inability to access the new banknotes.
These born again crusaders of the masses with the toga of affluence, declared a separate republic in their areas of jurisdiction. Led by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, they issued a contrary pronouncements to the President, threatening traders and transporters alike who dare to reject the old naira notes for transactions. For them, the old naira notes and new ones must coexist as legal tender pending the determination of the subsisting suit at the Supreme Court.
But renowned Lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome insisted that the Justices at the Supreme Court must demonstrate that the can “bark and bite.”
It was in the light of this judicial imbroglio that late Retired Justice Chukwudifu Oputa ruled that “the Supreme Court is not final because it’s infallible. It’s infallible because it’s final.”
In more sophisticated climes, the President has over-ruled Supreme Court judgements, yet, hell was not let loose. Plethora of cases abound to authenticate the above claim in such developed countries. The state security, takes precedence over all interests.
However, quite oblivious of the enormity of his earlier Pronouncements against the Supreme Court ruling in this auspicious time to the presidential election, the President, in far away Ethiopia, sues for calm over the dust generated by his decision against the use of the old naira notes.
Buhari’s broadcast which sounds like a farewell speech, thanked Nigerians for making him their President. But again, restated his resolve to bequeath a worthy administration by conducting a credible, free and fair elections to Nigerians.
The President reiterated the immense benefits already derived since the introduction of the CBN new monetary policy.
The APC national working committee and serving Governors at an emergency meeting, chaired by its National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, they begged the President, the chief Justice, Abubakar Malami and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to as a matter of expediency, bow to orchestrated pressures, and obey the Supreme Court ruling.
Also, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was one those hailing the CBN demonetisation policy, yesterday, supported the move by the APC Governors.
Atiku was reported to have appealed to the President to allow the old naira notes coexist with the new naira notes.
The PDP presidential candidate joining the foray, once again, vindicated the President that politicians clamouring for the status quo to remain are only protecting their interests, to have enough physical cash to buy votes and rig elections.
A viral video which showed a woman in one of the communities in Ogun State, rejecting ₦1,000 old note alleged distributed to them by the Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
There are conflicting signals that whichever way the pendulum swings, violent protests may erupt, with a deliberate attempts to scuttle the Saturday, February 25 presidential election.
