The federal government said the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the suit filed against February 10 CBN deadline on old naira notes.
The states prayed for an order restraining the CBN from ending the use of the old currency notes on February 10 as previously announced by the bank.
They cited the sufferings the scarcity of the newly redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 bank notes had brought upon many Nigerians.
However, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, argued that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the suit,
Malami maintained that the case is not a dispute between the federation and the state governments, but merely an issue about CBN’s policy.
He said the suit is, therefore, not qualified to be taken directly to the Supreme Court for adjudication.
“This suit has disclosed no dispute that invokes this (Supreme) Court’s original jurisdiction as constitutionally defined,” Malami said.
According to the AGF, the suit ought to have been commenced at the Federal High Court.
Meanwhile, the AGF’s filings came hours after the Supreme Court granted a request by the three state governments for an order temporarily halting the CBN’s plan to end the use of the old currency notes.
A seven-member panel of the court issued an order of interim injunction halting the plan by the CBN to end the use of the old naira notes as scheduled.
The court then adjourned the hearing of the main case until Wednesday, February 15.