By Taiwo Ajala
Kaduna state governor, the controversial Nasir el-Rufai has dared the president, Muhammadu Buhari and the Cebtral Bank of Nigeria over the redesign of the new naira by asking traders in his state to continue using the old naira.
The governor also said when elected, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu will reverse the CBN policy.
While speaking to traders in Kaduna, el-Rufai said: “Stop changing your money and tell everyone to stop taking money to banks. If you sell anything, accept the old note if it’s given to you. Stop saying it’s only the new notes that you will accept because your market will stop and that is what they want.
“Tell everyone in Kaduna who has the old notes to spend it and buy items. Tell every trader to accept the old notes. Nasir el-Rufai, Uba Sani, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu promise you that if we (APC) are elected, this policy will be changed and everyone will be given sufficient time to change their money.
“Stop taking your money to banks, keep them with you. Nobody can make your money to become worthless. It is the law; nobody can do it.
“It’s just a matter of time; be patient. We have 18 days to the elections. Once the elections are over, you should expect what Asiwaju Bola Tinubu would say, which is the change of this policy.
“You should help us pass this message to relatives. Everyone should stop taking money to banks; continue trading with the old notes,” the governor said.
Since October 2022 when the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele announced a redesigning of the Nigerian currency, Nigerians have been struggling to get hold of the new naira notes. Currently, many of the legacy banks in the country have shut down operations for inability to meet the currency demands of Nigerians.
