Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, has explained why he refused
to accept the fresh resolutions proposed by the federal government on the naira
redesign policy.
There were reports that the federal government proposed
conditions on the naira redesign policy, including a new deadline of April 10
for the old notes.
A government official had also said the resolutions
presented to members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) included “that the
old naira notes of N200 be allowed free movement in and out of the banks for
the next 60 days”.
El-Rufai was said to have rejected the proposed resolutions,
and insisted on a total cancellation of the naira redesign policy.
Reacting to the development in a statement by Muyiwa
Adekeye, his spokesperson, the Kaduna governor explained the reason for his
rejection of the resolutions, and described the federal government’s proposal
as “insincere”.
See the full
statement below.
A few hours after the Supreme Court adjourned the “currency
redesign” case today, TheCable, a respected publication, published what it
described as an exclusive story regarding the intentions of the Federal
Government on the matter.
Malam Nasir El-Rufai would like to clarify that TheCable has
been misled by its sources on this issue. There has been no meeting this week
between the FG and either the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) or the
Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), not to talk of one lasting till the wee
hours of today, Wednesday, 15 February 2023.
Rather, senior officials of the FG reached some governors,
including Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on phone to initiate discussions on a possible
out of court settlement. The terms they proposed were to allow only the old
N200 note to remain legal tender and be circulated by the CBN till 10 April
2023. They claimed that the CBN had already destroyed the old N500 and N1000
notes that had been deposited, but that those persons who still held the old notes
could redeem them up to 10 April 2023.
These were not considered as serious proposals, for obvious
reasons. Circulating the old N200 notes alone would not be sufficient to
relieve widespread human suffering in Kaduna State, and indeed in Nigeria
today.They knew that and that is why they falsely claimed that the CBN had
already destroyed the old N500 and N1000 notes.
This is contrary to the fact available to the governors to
the effect that the old notes were in the custody of commercial bank branches
throughout Nigeria until the evening of Monday, February 13, and not a single
N500 or N1000 had been destroyed.
It is also a non-starter to insist on a new cut off date
without first assuring that sufficient new notes would have been printed and
circulated. Information available to the governors also indicate that the Mint
will need at least 12 months to print the minimum amount of N1 trillion needed
to ensure a functioning trade and exchange environment in Nigeria.
The tabling of false facts, inadequate solutions to the
sufferings of our people, and the bad faith that some of the FG negotiators
displayed in our phone conversations and chats have now been taken further in
leaking a false account and context to a respected medium. The plaintiff governors
rejected the draft proposal as insincere, and invested our hopes in the Supreme
Court of Nigeria.
Malam Nasir El-Rufai will be addressing the people of Kaduna
State on this currency redesign mess, the consequences of the extension of the
injunction of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and related matters tomorrow.
But the Kaduna State Government feels it is important
tonight not to allow an exclusive falsehood to stand, or even gain the
slightest traction. This statement is therefore issued to put the records
straight.
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Rubbish! The reason the vindictive and diminutive governor of Kaduna state is asking for cancellation of the naira redesign policy is vote buying. Let him forget about this rubbish he is saying. Without vote buying, APC cannot win election in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteSay NO to vote buyiny
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