Naira redesign: Governors shouldn’t hide under immunity to commit treason, says CSO

The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, a civil society organisation (CSO), says governors should not hide under their immunity to commit treason.

On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the validity of old N200 notes till April 10.

The president also said existing old N1,000 and N500 notes will be redeemable at the CBN and designated points for 60 days.

However, Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, said all the old naira notes are legal tender in the state – a position many have described as treasonable.

In a statement on Saturday, Kalu Agu, the CSO’s legal adviser, said according to the constitution, the directives of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors like el-Rufai are “unconstitutional and illegal”.

“As a CSO, we sincerely align ourselves to the position of Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu and others when they asserted that governors of the APC are committing Treason against Nigeria’s sovereignty,” Agu said.

“Arising from the above provisions of the laws, can the Central Bank of Nigeria on its own volition call for legal tender redesign and the deadline for the use of old legal tender without the approval of the president?

“The answer with respect is a capital NO! How then will the APC governors be issuing contrary directives on the use of old naira notes when they do not have such powers either donated to them by the 1999 constitution, the Acts of the national assembly or even law from their state’s houses of assembly?

“The contrary directives issued by the APC governors that the old naira notes should continue to be a legal tender in their various states when the president had through the CBN issued a directive in that respect are treasonable.

“The contrary directives from the APC governors are not only unconstitutional, unlawful, and illegal but also highly inciteful, thereby aiding the populace to wage war against the federation.

“The APC governors cannot hide under the immunity clause as enshrined under section 308 of the 1999 constitution to be engaging in treasonable activities against the Sovereignty of this nation.”