President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to public concerns that he overlooked the Supreme Court judgment on the issue of the old N500 and N1,000 currency notes, saying that at no time did he instruct the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor to defy the court order.
The President said it wasn’t in his character to ask his aides to defy court orders involving the government and other parties.
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Monday, he said since President Buhari was sworn into office in 2015, he has never directed anybody to defy court orders, in the strong belief that democracy can’t be practiced without the rule of law and the commitment of his administration to this principle has not changed.
The statement reads: “Following the ongoing debate about the legality of the old currency notes, the Presidency thus wishes to state plainly that President Buhari has not done anything knowingly and deliberately to intrude with or obstruct the administration of justice.
“The President isn’t a micromanager and will not, thus, stop the Attorney General and the CBN Governor from performing the details of their duties in conformity with the law. In any case. It’s questionable at this time if there’s evidence of willful denial by the two of them on the orders of the apex court.
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“The directive of the President, following the meeting of the Council of State. is that the Bank must make available for circulation all the money that’s needed and nothing has happened to change the position.
“It’s an established fact that the President is an absolute respecter of judicial process and the authority of the courts.
“He has done nothing in the last eight or so years to act in any way to obstruct the administration of justice, cause lack of confidence in the administration of justice, or else interfere or loose the courts and there’s no reason whatsoever that he should do so now when he’s getting ready to leave office.”
The presidential spokesperson noted that the negative campaign and personalised attacks against the President by the opposition and all manner of observers was illegal and unjust, as no court order at any level has been issued or directed at Buhari personally.
As for the cashless system the CBN is determined to put in place, Shehu said it’s a known fact that many of the country’s citizens who bear the brunt of the laments, surprisingly support the policy as they believe that the action would cut corruption, fight terrorism, erect an terrain of honesty and support the incorruptible leadership of the President.
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It is, thus, wide off the mark to condemn the President for the current controversy over the cash insufficiency, despite the Supreme Court judgment.
The CBN has no reason not to comply with court orders on the excuse of waiting for directives from the President,” he added.
