The Supreme Court consolidated ten separate suits filed by state governments on Wednesday, with Abia State the most recent joiner.
The suit is challenging the implementation of the newly introduced naira redesign.
Emmanuel Ukala, counsel for Rivers State, argued the motion for consolidation.
Ukala, in moving the motion on notice, based the consolidation request on the need for the suit to be heard without delay because it concerns the same issue.
Justice John Okoro, presiding over the seven-member panel of justices, granted the request and ordered the consolidation of the ten suits into one.
Despite numerous requests, the court insisted that the new naira suit be heard regardless.
During the trial, counsel for Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, also prayed the court to prohibit the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, from defending the respondents while acting in contempt of initial court orders as he “comes tongue in cheek to ask for reliefs”.
He stated that the “issue of contempt supersedes issue of jurisdiction”.
Responding, Justice John Okoro stated, “You are not a stranger to this country. We don’t want a situation where the judiciary will be a scapegoat. We refuse to be the scapegoat.
“We are hearing this matter today. We don’t intend to keep this matter longer…whether they obey it or not.”
Following a series of declarations signalling late receipts of court servings, the court granted a short break.
On the resumed sitting, Abia State, which was initially denied joining the suit on the ground that it came late to the suit and was advised to present its case at a later date, became the most recent joiner.
After the short break, the state was admitted to join as a plaintiff in the suit.