By Demilade Adeniyi
One of Nigeria’s legal elder statesmen, Chief Robert Clark, SAN, has thrown his full weight behind the Supreme Court for suspending the February 10, 2023 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The deadline which was an extension granted by the bank, had directed that anyone who still had old currencies as at February 10, can only change it at CBN offices across the country.
Clark, who spoke in an Arise News interview on Friday, said there is no merit in the objection raised by the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, SAN, on the basis that the CBN was not joined in the matter, saying since the principal had been sued, it is trite its agent has also been sued along with him.
He asked the Federal Government to argue for the joining of the CBN in the substantive suit when the matter is laid before the Supreme Court on February 15, 2023.
Clark, said the policy of the CBN has caused so much pain and anguish to Nigerians and wondered why the Federal Government would decide to foist such policy on the people and punish them for no reason.
As a private citizen, Clark said he has had to buy the Naira currency at exorbitant price from third party agents as his cheques were rejected by his banks for lack of cash.
“When people of my status in the society can not have access to cash and had to be buying at such high prices how much more poor masses who do not have the cash. He said as desirable as cashless policy is, it is wrong of its implementation had to come with so much pain.
Clark said the Supreme Court by its ruling had saved Nigeria from conflagration as angry Nigerians who have had it to the hilt are ready to cause mayhem, which he said are already happening across the country.
The legal titan urged the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigerian to suspend the deadline until February 25 when the matter is slated for hearing at the Supreme Court.