Governors against naira redesign policy will be investigated for making treasonous statements: Malami

BY: News Peddlers 

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, Photo credit (Channel TV)

Governors who incited citizens against President Muhammadu Buhari's currency redesign policy, according to Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, will be investigated for treasonable utterances.

The minister made the remarks during a ministerial media briefing organised by the presidential communications team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

This comes just a day after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, stated that governors who made inciting remarks would be investigated.

Governors Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State have all openly condemned and denigrated the naira swap policy's implementation.

They urged residents in their respective states to continue using the old N500 and N1000 notes as legal tender.

Mr Malami stated that all those inciting the public would be investigated for treasonable utterances by security agencies in the near future.

According to him, after an investigation, relevant security agencies will determine whether further action is required.

Speaking on the Supreme Court judgement, Mr Malami maintained that the federal government did not act contrary to the law of the federation, saying "as far as the rule of law is concerned, there are many options available".

"We are not in violation of any court order, including any related to the naira redesign.

"I'm not a banker, but you have not gone to establish which bank it is that you have gone to present N1000 or N500 notes that have been rejected; so we are not in breach of any ruling.

"However, even if we are in violation, the fact remains that this matter is pending, as you are well aware. It's being argued before the Supreme Court, and if an order is issued, you have several options under the rule of law.

"You are entitled as a matter of right, if the facts and evidence support your position, to apply for setting it aside.

"When you are attacking and seeking a setting aside of the law, the position of the law and legal jurisprudence is clear."

"The position of the law, and legal jurisprudence is clear, once you are attacking and you seek a setting aside of an existing order of the court, you cannot be said to be operating in breach when you present your application for setting aside.

"If the court is not an apex court, you equally have a right to appeal and support the right of appeal with an application for a Stay of Execution Order.

"So, if the matter is sub-judice and within the context of the rule of law, we are doing the needful as a government, in terms of ensuring that the right of the government, within the context of the naira redesign, is being protected.

"So we're not in violation," he explained.

(NAN)