Naira Redesign: Court Dismisses ₦1 Billion Suit Against Buhari, Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a ₦1 billion lawsuit filed against former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, regarding the difficulties arising from the 2023 Naira redesign policy.

Naijaonpoint reports that the judge ruled the case was dismissed due to the plaintiff’s failure to pursue it diligently.

In his ruling on Monday, Justice Ekwo expressed his belief that the plaintiff had intentionally neglected his case, as evidenced by his repeated absences from court without legal representation or any valid justification.

The plaintiff, identified in the case as FHC/ABJ/CS/418/2023, had accused the former President, the Attorney General of the Federation, the former CBN governor, the CBN, and two commercial banks of causing him significant hardships during the Naira redesign process.

Represented by his attorney, Bala Dakum, the plaintiff asserted that his fundamental rights to freedom of movement and personal dignity were severely violated.

He specifically claimed that his ability to move freely was restricted and that he was unable to access his funds in the two commercial banks during the challenges posed by the Naira redesign in January and March 2023.

Consequently, he sought a court order for ₦1 billion in damages against the defendants for the infringement of his fundamental rights, as well as a perpetual injunction preventing Buhari and others from further withholding the old ₦200, ₦500, and ₦1000 banknotes.

In a similar vein, he requested that the court require the defendants to issue a public apology to be published in two prominent newspapers within the nation.

However, during the proceedings on Monday, neither the plaintiff nor his legal representative was present and did not provide any justification for their absence.

Counsel for the third and fourth defendants, Chikelue Amasiani, brought to Justice Ekwo’s attention the ongoing absence of the plaintiff and his counsel in previous court sessions.

Amasiani noted that since the initiation of the lawsuit in 2023, both the plaintiff and his attorney have not demonstrated any seriousness or commitment towards advancing the case.

He urged the judge to dismiss the suit, allowing the plaintiff the opportunity to revive it when he is prepared to demonstrate genuine intent.

In a concise ruling, Justice Ekwo concurred with the attorney’s request and dismissed the suit.