APC Govs Urge Buhari to Allow New, Old Naira Notes Coexist, Buhari Silent on Request
*El rufai: CBN mopped up N2trn, printed N300bn new notes
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Governors of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), have pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to allow both the old and new naira notes to co-exist to ease the suffering of Nigerians.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who spoke to some reporters in Hausa language after a closed-door meeting of the governors with the President on Friday, said while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mopped up over N2 trillion of the old notes, it printed only N300 billion new notes, which he said was not enough.
El-Rufai, who spoke in company of his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje, said even if the CBN had wanted to implement the cashless policy, it should have printed a half of what it mopped up, for a start, which ought to be N1trillion.
He said the APC Governors told the President that they were suffering and traders were losing their goods due to lack of patronage citing the example of tomatoes sellers that travelled to Lagos with their goods, which all got wasted because people had no money to buy.
On this ground, the Kaduna State Governor said the governors had no choice but to appeal to the President to reconsider his stances.
El-Rufai, however, revealed that President Buhari did not tell them yes or no.
He also added that the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, has gone back to hold private meeting with the President with the hope to convince him.
Details later…
