‘Holy Ghost Fire’ Has Visited Those Preparing Bullion Vans for Elections, Says Diri

•NECA to FG: Prosecute those sabotaging sufficient supply of new naira notes

John Shiklam in Kaduna, Dike Onwuamaeze and Wale Igbintade

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has alleged that the “holy ghost fire” has visited those preparing bullion vans to buy votes in the forthcoming elections, following the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to phase out the old N200, N500 and N1000 ahead of the general election.

He stated this yesterday, in Zonkwa, headquarters of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna state, at the flag off of the campaign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kaduna south Senatorial district, Hon. Sunday Katung.

He said although, he was not in support of the suffering ordinary Nigerians have been subjected to as a result of the monetary policy, he maintained that it would change the attitude of Nigerian leaders.

He pleaded with the CBN to ensure that the people do not suffer, by making the new naira notes available.

“We have to reset this country. The way the country is going is not about religion and ethnicity. It is about few people who have taken the wealth of this country to themselves,” the governor said.

He said, “While we are not in support of the common man suffering as a result of the sudden CBN policy, but that policy will change, not only our currency but our attitude towards everything as leaders.

“While we plead with the CBN to ensure that our people do not suffer, the other side, those of them who have bullion vans, who are prepared to make bullion vans and buy over the presidency, we say the Holy Ghost fire will go onto them.

“The CBN policy is Holy Ghost fire on them. That is why they are shouting. Why are they shouting as if it affects them more than us?

“All the CBN is saying is that anybody who does not earn money should not have money in bullion vans to go and buy over our voters. That’s all the CBN has said and we support that policy. However, make the money available to those who have earned this money through their farms, trading and their professional business. That’s all we are saying. That’s our concern.”

Speaking further Diri said, “For us in PDP, we believe that Nigeria is going down and it must be rescued and recovered.”

According to him, the only way the country could be rescued and recovered was to vote Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as “a detribalised man who has seen it as a former vice president of this country.”

He described Katung, a former member of the House of Representatives as humble and experienced politician who would serve the people if elected senator.

Diri also asked the people to vote for Isa Ashiru, the PDP governorship candidate in the state.

Guest speaker at the occasion, Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, called on the southern Kaduna people not to waste their votes by voting for the Labour Party, “because Labour cannot win this election.”

He said Nigeria would be liberated if Atiku was voted as president.