People are reacting to Governor Nasir El-rufai’s that the old N500 and N1000 notes should stay legal in Kaduna State despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s order.
Buhari asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the validity of old N200 notes until April 10 in a televised address on Thursday.
He further stated that for the next 60 days, all current old N1,000 and N500 notes will be redeemed at the CBN and authorized places.
Governor El-rufai, who had challenged the policy in court, ordered that the old N500 and N1000 notes be kept in circulation in Kaduna State until the Supreme Court rules.
He also accused the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, of plotting to postpone the general elections in order to allow an interim administration led by a former army general to take control.
According to Mr Eric Ekwere, Deputy National Director, Media, Atiku Support Group, and member of the PDP/Atiku Presidential Campaign Council, El-Rufai and other governors opposing the naira redesign strategy are not fighting for disadvantaged Nigerians.
Ekwere chastised El-rufai for not acting like a leader, emphasizing that the APC has been in disarray since 2015.
According to him, EL-rufai has failed to tell the public his main reason for fighting the policy.
”It is unfortunate that El-rufai is not acting like a leader. This is a policy that Nigerians have accepted even if we are experiencing hardship. In the long term, it will benefit everybody
”You are complaining that this thing is affecting the vulnerable Nigerians, they have released 200 naira, which is to the advantage of the vulnerable people. These people are not transacting N1000 in bulk and you are still complaining.
”This means that there is something hidden somewhere that you have failed to tell the public. You are inciting the public against the government. He said people in his state should continue transacting with the already expired denomination, isn’t that exposing those people to risk?
”If they keep transacting and later go to the bank and they don’t collect it, is it not the people that you are supposed to protect that will be affected?” He asked.
Ekwere wondered why members of the ruling party resorted to blaming the PDP presidential candidate for the policies of their own government, urging them to carry their cross and leave the PDP out of their crisis.
”I completely disagree with El-Rufai’s position. Atiku is the one enforcing policy from APC? The CBN Governor that is in APC made policy but they are blaming the PDP instead of carrying their cross and thinking of how to win the election,” he noted.
