BREAKING: #Kaduna Residents Reject El-Rufai’s Directive On Old #Naira Notes [VIDEO]—According to the viral video tracked by The Genius Media, some residents of Kaduna State are not abiding the Governor El-Rufai’s directive.
The Naira redesign policy has continued to create a menace across states in Nigeria with many governors and citizens, Civil Society groups and senior lawyers flaying President Muhammadu and calling for the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
After the old naira notes ceased to be accepted as legal tender, there have been reports of clashes across the nation, with enraged mobs destroying bank buildings and attacking bankers who are now living in fear.
The large number of customers who descended on Nigerian banks to deposit and withdraw money is overwhelming the institution. Operators of Point of Sale (POS) systems; taking advantage of the situation are demanding high commission fees for each transaction in the midst of the pandemonium.
Nasir El-Rufai, Yahya Bello, and Mattawale, the governors of three northern states, petitioned the Supreme Court for an injunction declaring the old notes to be lawful tender for the time being.
Although President Muhammadu Buhari who is notorious for flouting court orders declined to follow the directive, he went ahead and implemented the policy of facing out obsolete notes, which increased anxiety among the populace and government agencies.
Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, stated in an audacious national broadcast that the old N1,000 and N500 notes are still legal tender, in contrast to President Buhari’s directive from his broadcast on February 16 that asserted that only the old N200 note is still valid until April 10 and that the old N1,000 and N500 notes cease to be legal tender.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all the old and new notes shall remain in use as legal tender in Kaduna State until the Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise,” El-Rufai said.
“I therefore appeal to all residents of Kaduna State to continue to use the old and new notes side by side without any fear. The Kaduna State Government and its agencies shall seal any facility that refuses to accept the old notes as legal tender and prosecute the owners.”
The Kaduna state government’s directive, according to a series of responses from people and residents that Newsmen has been tracking, looks to be a horrible idea because the governor has no authority to defy the president’s directives, they stated.
“He is not CBN, he is not President. President said they should collect N200 and people are collecting it. El-Rufai said they should collect N500 and N1000, nobody is collecting them. His right ends only in Kaduna State, not Federal and we can only the President”, a resident said.
“It’s a very unfortunate advice to give to the citizens because the President cannot issue an order, then a governor counters it”, another resident said.
El-Rufai’s counter directive on the new naira policy has already sparked reactions from several quarters with many already alleging that his action is tantamount to treason.
The Peoples Democratic Party spokesperson Daniel Bwala referred to the Kaduna State governor’s action as treason in an interview with Channels Television, adding that El-Rufai is a master in flouting court orders, especially during his days as Minister of FCT and even now as governor.
Most of President Buhari’s cabinet members are already opposing his directive regarding the new naira policy as of the time this news was filed. One week into the presidential election, the ruling All Progressives Congress already has many members aligning themselves against the incumbent but siding with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.
Many uncertainties lie ahead as Nigerians go into the polls on Saturday.
😂😂😂😂. El Rufai see ur people dun leave u behind. Na only u & ur family go use the old notes as legal tender, Kaduna people are obeying the order of the CBN & president.
Eleyi CSP Patrick wike sign the petition. pic.twitter.com/gef5a85YdW
— Optician-M (@MercyEgbai) February 18, 2023
