By Adekola Afolabi
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Adekola Olawoye, has described the refusal of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and other commercial banks to obey the Supreme Court ruling on suspension of deadline for the old naira notes as a contempt of court.
Olawoye, the immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo state, said any individual, banks or other organizations disobeying court order are committing contempt of court.
He disclosed this on Tuesday in a telephone interview with The Hope.
The legal luminary who explained that we are running a democracy and that the rule of law must prevail, also insisted that anything outside the rule of law is anarchy and chaos.
It would be recalled that Kogi, Kaduna and Zamfara States had approached the Supreme Court to restrain the CBN from going ahead with the February 10 deadline to phase out the old naira notes.
The apex court granted interim injunction restraining the CBN from going ahead with the deadline and adjourned till February 15.
However, the court order has not been obeyed by the apex bank and the commercial banks.
Reacting to the development, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said anybody or organisation who disobeys court order has committed contempt of court and should be jailed.
“The Supreme Court has given Interim Injunction on this matter, and in any sane clime, there is nothing stopping any organization, be it the Executive from obeying that order to the letters until it is otherwise discharged.
“That is contempt of court. The problem with us in this side of the world is that “who is going to enforce it”? Who is going to charge who for contempt of court ? That is our problem.
“This is critical moment of our lives. We are running a democracy, the rule of law must prevail. Anything outside the rule of law is anarchy and chaos. So, whoever disobeys court order is doing so at his own peril”, he added.
Olawoye who also lamented the fuel scarcity in the state and the country, particularly urged the citizens “to shine” their eyes, shun vote buying and vote for credible leaders that will take them out of the current problems in the forthcoming general elections.
