EKITI State has applied to be a part of the plaintiffs suing the Federal Government over the naira redesign policy.
In a statement on Sunday, Yinka Oyebode, the special adviser to the state governor Biodun Oyebanii said the state filed the application on Friday, February 10 through the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata.
According to the statement, Ekiti State government had several reasons for joining the suit, including the shortage of naira notes, which have created “palpable anxiety” among residents of the state.
“The directive of the Federal Government of Nigeria had affected the livelihood and had inflicted excruciating pain and hardship on all Nigerians, including citizens of Ekiti State,” Oyebode noted.
He also said revenue and taxes within the state had also been adversely affected, and Ekiti had common interest as the other plaintiffs involved in the suit, hence the application.
Three All Progressives Congress (APC) governors had dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court in a bid to halt the full implementation of the naira redesign policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The governors include Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.
The Kano State government also filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government over the naira redesign policy.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.