Category: Lead

THE simmering discontent over the nationwide fuel and naira scarcity boiled over in Ibadan and Warri yesterday as some residents hit the streets to protest the hardship they have been going through.

In other parts of the country, the naira and fuel scarcity showed no signs of abating soon.

The Ibadan protesters forcibly opened the gate of the Oyo State Government Secretariat at Agodi and moved into the complex, heading straight to the governor’s office situated within the complex.

They were, however, prevented by the security personnel manning the gates from gaining entry into the governor’s office.

The protest got out of hand on Iwo Road after some hoodlums hijacked the procession.

They blocked adjoining roads, burnt tyres and harassed motorists and commuters.

It was the same story at Agodi, NTA-Junction, Beere, Oje, Customs-Federal Secretariat Road, Bodija among others.

The protesters who were armed with dangerous weapons including cutlass, axes, broken bottles, cudgel and plank, among others, also used them freely on innocent residents.

The protesters made bonfire and barricades and destroyed police stands at almost every junction they passed through.

No death was however reported.

Traders and shops owners in the axis quickly locked their shops for fear of the unknown while the protests lasted.

Three Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) belonging  to Wema Bank at Agodi Gate and a police station directly opposite the bank were vandalised by the protesters.

Governor Seyi Makinde immediately called off his campaign.

The governorship candidate of Accord Party in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, also suspended his statewide campaign rally for three days in “solidarity with Nigerians in this trying moment.”

Makinde, who was at Ido when news of the protest reached him, directed that all campaign activities be suspended, noting that the people’s suffering was too much.

The governor said that the decision was taken because he was elected to protect the interests and well beings of citizens of the state.

Makinde also directed leaders of the party in the state to suspend further political activities.

On his part, Adelabu asked government to “as a matter of urgency address the problem.”

“Our people cannot continue to suffer while politicians are dancing around at rallies. These are the people we want to govern,” he said in a statement.

Warri market women besiege banks, barricade roads in protest

Some commercial banks in Warri, Delta State were forced to suspend activities yesterday as scores of market women barricaded the Warri-Sapele Road and NPA Expressway to protest naira scarcity.

The protesters stormed United Bank for Africa and Union Bank located near Main Market, Warri.

The placard and leaves bearing traders lamented their inability to sell their goods in the last few days owing to the naira scarcity.

They burned tyres along the ever busy roads to register their frustration, causing heavy gridlock.

They sang in Pidgin English: “Our fish dey spoil o”; “our food dey rotten” and demanded the release of their money in the vaults of the banks.

Security operatives were spotted addressing the angry traders, who insisted that the banks pay them their money.

Naira scarcity bites harder across the country

The CBN directive to the commercial banks that they can now pay a maximum of N20000 of the new notes across the counter  is having little or no effect so far.

 Most of the banks insisted yesterday that they still did not have enough of the new notes to pay out.

Customers who had rushed to The Bells University of Technology Otta branch of Wema Bank returned home disappointed after they were offered a maximum of N3000 each irrespective of the amount they intended to withdraw. And the money was paid in N100 notes.

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) on Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse 2, Abuja, paid corporate account holders N10,000 OTC while individuals were paid N5,000 across the counter.

Asked why customers were being paid less than the minimum limit stipulated by the CBN, one of the staff (name withheld) said they did not have enough to go round.

A branch of Sterling Bank opposite NICON Insurance on the Central Business District (CBD) Abuja paid N20,000 over the counter.

Naira scarcity was very pronounced at the markets in Abuja. The situation forced many traders to sell their wares at giveaway prices so they would not go home empty handed.

At Shoprite along Airport Road, many customers were forced to leave their groceries and other items behind at the checkout counter when they could not pay with their cards. Many bank networks were down or at best fluctuating.

Banks in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, also rationed the new notes available t them.

Many customers who were at the banks to collect N20,000 were disappointed when they were informed they could only collect N5,000.

An official of one of the bank said: “Do you really believe Emiefele when he made that statement? We cannot give what we don’t have. We want the money to go round.”

At the Polaris Bank Plc, Old Garage, officials of the commercial bank did not obey the directive of the bank as they paid out N2000.

The First Bank Plc, Alagbaka paid out N5,000 to customers per day.

Banking halls and ATM points still recorded long queues of customers who wanted to withdraw money.

Social media users posted videos of customers said to have kept the night at ATMs to enable them make withdrawals.

A Point of Sale (POS) operator was sited at a filling station at Abule Egba, Lagos yesterday collecting cash from motorists paying for fuel in cash while she made payment for them with her own POS machine.

The idea was to save her the stress of queuing in bank to collect cash to run her own POS business.

A Kano resident, Desmond Ikemefuna, 54, who had gone for lunch at a restaurant on Burma Road, Sabon Gari, left in anger after disagreeing with the waiter on the mode of payment for his meal.

He had offered to do transfer to pay for his food totaling N1,400, but when he was told to add N200 as ‘transfer charges’ he got up and walked away.

Another Kano resident, Mofe Aminaghan, told of her own experience when she went to a local market during the week.

She said: “I wasn’t with cash, so thought I could transfer or use POS to pay for every transaction.

 “It was like hell. All POS operators in Kano had no cash. Even today, none of them is operating, because they don’t have cash.

“I decided to go to the bank and withdraw. On getting there, the crowd was something else. So, I decided to proceed to the market.

“In the market, there was poor network. I picked a few goods and asked the seller how much and she told me.

“I told her to give me her account number. I tried several times to transfer the money into her account but the transactions all declined. I had to leave the place for another place. There too the transaction failed.

“After several attempts, I was able to do a successful transfer. But there too, it wasn’t a small thing. The transaction was successful and my account was debited. But she said she had not received an alert.

“I had to wait for another one hour before the money finally dropped in her account. That was when she allowed me to go.”

Scarcity of naira notes frustrating us, Enugu workers, students cry out

Some students of tertiary institutions and civil servants in Enugu State complained to our correspondents about their own situation which they said has crippled small businesses within the state and campuses of the institutions, especially for cash based transactions.

In the institutions, it was gathered that POS operators charge students as high as N300 for N1000 and N1000 for N5000; a development that has forced them to spend more of their time at the ATM galleries within and outside their campuses.

A civil servant, Nonye Amuta, who lamented the impact of the development on workers, said she had been unable to have access to cash to buy petty items from traders who do not use bank accounts.

She said:”No cash anywhere. POS agents have no cash to dispense, even at N2000 or N3000 for N10,000. Shops and filling stations say people are not buying and few are doing with only POS.”

Celebrities lament as hardship bites

Some Nigerian celebrities have also been talking about their own experiences.

Nollywood star Kate Henshaw said: “If I tell you I am not pained with this hardship foisted on us, I would be lying.

“To think some people thrive and benefit on this is sickening. Nigerians deserve much better!!! Much much better. I want a better nation to thrive in.

“People are hungry. It’s shameful to see but they are receiving broth and selling off their birthright. If only they recognise the power they have. I am tired, to be honest.”

Popular comedian, Ayodeji Richard Makun aka AY said: “Which queue are you joining today? Queue for fuel? Queue for PVC or Queue for new naira notes?

“Most celebs have become slaves to fear during elections. Whenever they publicly take a stand on any political candidate of their choice, they are either blacklisted or attacked by clueless thugs who would do anything to secure their own interests.

“Stop putting them under pressure.”

Nollywood diva, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, said:”After living in the US now for about two years. Not just visiting but living and changing systems. I now see many things we managed and let slide is just pure craziness.

“I’m deeply frustrated at the depth and volume of the needless suffering Nigerians go through. We are too intelligent a people to suffer like this.

“Suffering is not lessons to brag about; it’s evil. Why must people suffer to get anything done?”

IGP orders arrest, prosecution of naira notes sellers

Police Inspector General Usman Alkali Baba yesterday ordered the arrest of persons selling or abusing the naira.

All individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of the naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he said, should be prosecuted.

Police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement in Abuja that the police are duty-bound to uphold the federal government’s policy and the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

He said:“The IGP has similarly charged all supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Police Commands and Formations to carry out full enforcement of the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 which criminalises amongst other things the hawking, selling or otherwise trading, spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira notes, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, refusal to accept the Naira as a means of payment, tampering with the coin or note issued by the CBN,” the statement reads.

“The Inspector-General of Police reiterated the mandate of the Nigeria Police Force to enforce all laws and regulations without any prejudice to the enabling Acts of other security agencies and urged all and sundry to cooperate with the Nigeria Police Force as it brings the long arm of the law to bear upon all violators of the provisions of the CBN Act, and other extant statutes in Nigeria, with a view to having a well-policed society in all ramifications within the country.”

Also yesterday, the Lagos State Police Command met with Chief Security Officers (CSOs) of banks in the state over the scarcity of naira notes.

Police Commissioner Abiodun Alabi advised financial institutions on measures to take as anger rages over the non-availability of currency.

CP Alabi also urged banks to devise policies that would preempt the breakdown of law and order among the banking public.

The meeting was necessitated by the rising cases of brawls and free-for-all at various bank branches in Lagos.

• Forecloses further extension of Feb. 10 deadline • Accuses bank executives of greed, sabotage

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele has asked Nigerians to show understanding in the face of the acute scarcity of the naira notes and the excruciating pains they are passing through at the moment.

While the CBN mandated banks to pay N20,000 daily on over-the-counter transactions or through other channels like Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), banks are not making the funds available.

Long queues were reported in ATMs, and banking halls across the country, with banks turning customers back as at the close of business yesterday. There were also cases of poor network connectivity and excess charges for customers using Point of Sale (PoS) terminals.

But speaking yesterday at a media briefing in Lagos, Emefiele said the difficulty is transient given the strong believe that the ultimate gain of the policy to the country far outweighs the short-run pains of today.

He, however, foreclosed the possibility of further extension of the February 10 deadline set for customers to deposit old notes to their bank accounts.

The deadline was earlier extended to February 10, 2023, plus a grace period of seven days amid the scarcity of the new banknotes.

At a press conference in Lagos, Emefiele admitted the hiccups in the implementation process. He, however, said he would not promise a “further extension.”

Rather than shifting the timeline, Emefiele said the bank was addressing “pressure areas” by redeploying cash where there are excesses. The governor dismissed the enormous challenges as transient, promising that the issues would be overcome soon even as he urged Nigerians to embrace alternative payment.

He sought the understanding of Nigerians while decrying the vandalisation of bank facilities and attacks on bankers. According to him, destroying bank facilities would worsen the situation.

Emefiele admitted that the process is being sabotaged by greedy individuals. He said the bank and law enforcement agents would go after individuals spraying money at social events as well as bankers and CBN officials working with them.

“Some people have been arrested. We will trace others. They must go to jail because what they are doing is a criminal offence,” he insisted.

On the scarcity, he said: “CBN is aware of the difficulty being faced by Nigerians in accessing the new currency at this initial stages of its issue and circulation but wishes to plead with all to please show some understanding as everything is being done to correct some of the observed lapses in the implementation of this ambitious programme,” Emefiele pleaded.

The programme came on the heels of the directive to banks to commence over-the-counter payment, capping the maximal limit at N20,000 daily.

“As the new deadlines approach, please permit me to express our sadness over the unscrupulous and unpatriotic conduct of some of our colleagues in the banking industry, whose greed and malevolence are sabotaging the CBN’s efforts. I assure you all that the enforcement agencies are on the prowl for these unpatriotic colleagues and their collaborators.

“A few of them involved in the sale of the new currency have been arrested by EFCC, ICPC, and indeed the DSS; and let me assure all Nigerians that these unscrupulous persons shall face the full wrath of the Law”.

He said the CBN possesses the capacity, manpower, equipment, and grit to produce and circulate the new notes and is doing all in its power to ease the inconvenience on all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable Nigerians.

“I want to use this opportunity to once again emphasize that this policy is not targeted at anyone or any group of persons. Rather it derived from our in-house analysis to strengthen our macroeconomic fundamentals and better our socio-economic conditions,” he added.

Emefiele said that currency management is a key function of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as enshrined in Section 2(b) of the CBN Act 2007. Indeed, the integrity of a local legal tender, the efficiency of its supply, as well as its efficacy in the conduct of monetary policy are some of the hallmarks of a great Central Bank.

Besides, the general practice across the globe is that a central bank should normally redesign its currency within 5-8 years.

“From the onset of this currency redesign programme, we made it clear that for over 19 years, the CBN has not been able to undertake this important currency and liquidity management function that has important ramifications for the effectiveness of the monetary policy.

“Our principal aim, with the currency redesign initiative, is to make our Monetary Policy decisions more efficacious, and as you can see; we have started to see inflation trending downwards and exchange rates relatively stable.

“Also, we aim to increase financial inclusion in the country by reducing the number of the unbanked population. Thirdly, our aim is to support the efforts of our security agencies in combating banditry and ransom-taking in Nigeria through this program and we can see that the Military are making good progress in this.”

Protests broke out on Friday in several parts of Ibadan, capital of Oyo State with aggrieved residents going on a rampage. 

They were protesting the fuel and cash scarcity occassioned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cash swap. 

Some of the parts of the city where pockets of crisis rocked include: Monatan, Iwo Road, Agodi, NTA-Junction, Beere, Oje, Customs-Federal Secretariat Road, Bodija among others.

The protesters who were armed with dangerous weapons including cutlass, axes, broken bottles, cudgel, plank, among others also used it freely on innocent residents.

The protesters made bonefire, barricades and destroyed police stands at almost every junction they passed through during the protest.

Bonafire was made in Monatan, Agodi-Gate, Beere, Oje, Secretariat among other places.

In Iwo Road, the protesters, blocked the road making it impossible for motorists and other road users to pass through. 

They blocked the axis under the bridge leading to Idi-Ape leaving commuters trying to access the city stranded. 

Read Also: Makinde suspends campaign activities over fuel, Naira crisis

At a point, the protesters turned the road to a mini football pitch with many road users moving in fear and panic.

No casualty or victim was recorded.

Traders and shops owners in the axis quickly locked their shops for fear of the unknown while the protesters held sway.

Three Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at Gate and a Police station directly opposite the bank were vandalised by the protesters.

Commercial activities were paralysed in the areas as shop owners were forced to closed down over fear of been attacked.

The peak was when the protesters stormed the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi-Ibadan.

Apparently aware of pocket of protests across the city, the security attached to the Secretariat had locked the main entrance as early as 10AM, forcing people going or coming out of the Secretariat to make use of the Fire Gate.

As the news of the locking of the entrance gates filtered into the offices, apprehension and fear spread as many officials quickly closed their doors and locked up their windows.

Barely an hour later, the arrival of the protesters at the Secretariat compounded the panic as efforts to calm them down by combined security operatives at the entrance gate ifell on deaf ears.

The plea by the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd) also did not yield results as the protesters keep shouting and lamenting the precarious situations and hardship across the State.

But his quick intervention at calling for security reinforcement and back up saved the day.

The protesters made bonefire at the entrances of the Secretariat. They also destroyed the Christmas/New Year decorations at the roundabout under the Secretariat bridge while also carting away the items they could.

The situation, which caught some motorists unaware, also forced some others to make emergency detours and drive against traffic while heading for safety.

Upon gaining access into the Secretariat, the protesters headed straight for the Governor’s Office.

They left in their trail an attack of the security post at the entrance gate, shattering all the glass windows, destroying furniture and also carrying away items they could lay hands on easily.

As the protetsers arrived the Governor’s Office Gate, the combat-ready police officers maintained their position behind the gate as the protesters tried to force their way in.

After unsuccessful attempts, the proteters resolved to throwing stones and other dangerous weapons into the Governors Office.

A police officer attached to the Governor’s office was hit by a big stone on his head leading to serious bleeding.

Despite the injury, the Police Officer showed bravery and gallantry by maintaining his post. 

He only shot into the air to disperse the protesters as they mounted a renewed effort at forcing the gate open.

The shots however made some impact as the protesters dispersed in various direction while the officer shot into the air. 

No protesters was shot at by the officer despite the injury he sustained while the rain of stones lasted.

The arrival of a police back up and men of the state anti-crime task force team codenamed Operation Burst minutes later also helped the situation as the protesters ran back towards the main gate, outside the Secretariat.

The current sabotage of the Naira notes swap and fuel scarcity that have caused untold hardship to millions of Nigerians across the country revealed the true character of Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as public enemy number one.

Nigerians will recall that since the Central Bank introduced its current cash-limit and new Naira notes swap policies, Atiku Abubakar and PDP maintained opportunistic silence with the hope they will benefit from the discomfort the policies will create for Nigerians and the resentment they will generate for the ruling APC.

While Atiku and PDP were in bed with the saboteurs and fifth columnists among the operators of Money Deposit Banks and oil marketers who created the current logjam to force the outcome of the February 25 Presidential election in favour of the former Vice President, our candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu  courageously pitched his tent with the poor masses who have been most negatively impacted by the antics of these evil doers.

Having realised they have lost the initiative and their antics exposed to Nigerians by Asiwaju Tinubu at the APC Presidential Campaign rally in Abeokuta, Atiku made a half-hearted appeal to CBN to ‘slightly’ extend the deadline for the currency swap.

We are currently at a loss to understand what informed the current call of Atiku on CBN not to extend the February 10 deadline despite the unmitigated  hardship still being faced by many Nigerians who could not meet their basic daily needs as a result of lack of cash from banks and the empty ATM machines.

Any one who lives in Nigeria and not Dubai and visits banks and ATM locations will feel sad that the CBN is making our people suffer for its badly timed Naira swap policy.

Read Also: El-Rufai: Atiku hates poor Nigerians, wicked for views on cash swap

The bank’s latest fire brigade approach in approving payment of N20,000 at the counter is far from offering relief as queues are still long, agony and frustrations widening, an invitation to riots.

This poorly implemented policy has turned Nigerians to destitutes because they cannot access their own money in their bank accounts. People cannot get money to give their kids to school or pay for daily needs at corner shops, fruit shops,  including buying newspapers. Transactions in market places have plummeted.

The CBN governor gave insight into the nature of the problem when he revealed in Daura last Sunday that out of the N3.3 trillion in circulation, only N500 billion is in the bank vaults. So far only N1.9trillion had been received by the banks for swap.

But people are not getting the new notes to spend, thus triggering the huge anger in the land against Emefiele.

We thus find it ludicrous that a man who joined the call for an extension of the deadline last week is championing a new campaign against further extension because he feels the suffering of Nigerians will serve his own political end to become president at all cost.

Atiku said callously: “There should be no further postponement of the new naira regime after the expiration of the February 10 deadline.”

Anchoring his objection on the wrong reason, he said further: “The CBN and the Presidency should be steadfast. The merits of the new naira policy far outweigh the little inconvenience we are experiencing.”

In passing off the suffering of our people as “Little inconvenience”, Atiku only comes across as a political leader disconnected from the Nigerian people that he is campaigning to govern. Certainly, living comfortably in Dubai for many years has drained Atiku of all empathy.

This is a man who wants to be President and does not mind even if he presides over the graves of Nigerians as long as his inordinate ambition materialises in line with the prophecy of his marabouts.

It is crystal clear to every Nigerian of conscience now that Atiku Abubakar and PDP do not mean well for our country. PDP and Atiku have become desperadoes who will wish calamity on the country as long as it makes them win an election they are destined to lose, spectacularly.

Atiku is now public enemy number one in Nigeria. He is evil personified and must be rejected at the polls on 25 February.

If Atiku Abubakar has the poor people of our country at heart like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the PDP candidate will not be advocating for adherence to a policy that has become a burden too heavy to bear for our people.

Bayo Onanuga is Director, Media and Publicity APC Presidential Campaign Council

The ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his entourage have arrived the popular Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti for a rally.

Read Also: Heavy security as crowd awaits Tinubu’s arrival in Ekiti

Tinubu, who arrived the rally at exactly 2:45pm, was accompanied by Ekiti Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi and Senator Dayo Adeyeye among other top chieftains of the party.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to give him seven days to resolve the lingering cash crisis causing economic havocs and heating up the polity. 

The President also blamed the escalating cash crisis on banks, expressing doubts about their commitment to success of the policy. 

Buhari spoke during a meeting with the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to seek solutions to the cash crunch, which they lamented was threatening the good records of the administration in transforming the economy.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, after the meeting noted the cash crunch has become a problem across the country from the policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to change high value naira notes with new ones.

Buhari said the currency re-design will give a boost to the economy and provide long-term benefits while expressing doubts about the commitment of banks in particular to the success of the policy. 

“Some banks are inefficient and only concerned about themselves,” the President said, “even if a year is added, problems associated with selfishness and greed won’t go away.”

He said he had seen television reports about cash shortages and hardship to local businesses and ordinary people, assurrig that the balance of seven of the 10-day extension will be used to crackdown on whatever stood in the way of successful implementation.

“I will revert to the CBN and the Minting Company. There will be a decision one way or the other in the remaining seven days of the 10-day extension,” the President assured.

Read Also: Intrigues of cash, fuel crisis won’t stop my victory- Tinubu

The Governors told the President while they agreed that his decision on the renewal of currency was good, its execution had been botched and their constituents were becoming increasingly upset.

They told the President as leaders of the government and party in their different states, they were becoming anxious about a slump in the economy and the series of elections that are coming. They requested the President to use his powers to direct the concurrent flourish of the new and old notes till the end of the year. 

The President said when he considered giving the approval to the policy, he demanded an undertaking from the CBN that no new notes will be printed in a foreign country and they in turn gave him assurances that there was enough capacity, manpower and equipment to print the currency for local needs. He said he needed to go back to find out what was actually happening.

 Buhari told the Governors that, being closer to the people, he had heard their cries and will act in a way that there will be a solution.

Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje told journalists their requests before the President were centered around the cash and petroleum products crises. 

He said the PGF appealed to the President to allow the new and old naira notes to run concurrently until the old ones die out naturally.

“Our request is for the deadline to be shifted. Not only shifted, but the old currency should go along with the new currency until old currency dies a natural death which is possible. He said he will look into that,” he said.

Hundreds of protesters have stormed the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi Ibadan.

A police officer attached to the Governor’s office was injured in an attack by the protesters.

The Secretariat gate was locked following reports pockets of protests had rocked different parts of the capital city.

The protesters, who came with sticks, woods and other dangerous weapons, forced the two main gates of the Secretariat open, making security operatives on ground to take cover.

Read Also: Oyo has 2m votes for Tinubu/Shettima, says Folarin

With many workers and people within the Secretariat scampering for safety, the protesters headed straight to the Governor’s office where they attempted to force the gate open.

The resistance by the officers on duty, who fire blank shots into the air, made the protesters throw stones and other dangerous weapons into the Governor’s office.

They destroyed property at sight with one of the suspects was arrested.

The swift intervention and back-up from men of the Operation Burst and Police Team saved the situation that would have degenerated into a major crisis.

Details Shortly…

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the old and new naira notes co-exist to ease the suffering of Nigerians.

Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who spoke to some journalists in Hausa language on Friday, said that while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mopped up over N2 trillion of the old notes, it printed only N300 billion, which he said is not enough.

El-Rufai, who was accompanied by his Kano counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje, said even if the CBN had wanted to implement the cashless policy, it should have printed half of what it mopped up, for a start, which ought to be N1 trillion. 

He said they told the President the masses are suffering and traders are losing their goods due to lack of patronage.

Read Also: BREAKING: Buhari meets APC Govs in Aso Rock

He referred to tomatoes seller that travelled to Lagos with their goods but got nothing because people had no money to buy.

The Governor said they appealed to the President to reconsider his stances. 

El-Rufai however said Buhari did not tell them yes or no. 

He disclosed Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu, has gone back to meet the President privately with the hope to convince him.

At of the time of filing this report, he was being awaited to address the media.

Details Shortly…

President Muhammmadu Buhari is holding a closed door meeting with Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’Forum (PGF).

The meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being attended by PGF Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

Read Also: APC candidate restates commitment to job creation, credit facility for businesses

Others in attendance are: Dave Umahi (Ebonyi);  Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos);  Hope Uzodimma (Imo); Bello Matawale (Zamfara);  Dapo Abiodun (Ogun);  Mai Bala-Buni (Yobe); Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna);  Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano);  Abdul Rahman Abdulrazak (Kwara) and Sani Bello (Niger) and among others.

Details Shortly…

Kaduna Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has pointed out the views of presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar on the cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) show he is a wicked man with no concern for the poor masses. 

He said by asking the CBN not to extend the deadline beyond February 10, the former Vice President has confirmed he has no regard or sympathy for the poor masses who are mostly affected by the policy. 

Atiku initially backed the extension of the deadline but called on the CBN some days ago not to extend it beyond February 10.

El-Rufai said the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) is not against the cash swap and cashless policies but bothered by the hardship poor Nigerians are going through across the nation. 

Speaking yesterday on Journalist hang-out, a popular show on TVC, the Kaduna Governor said: “If you look at the statement from the other party after I spoke on the cash swap, we are not against the policy.  Cashless is the way to go. We have no problem with it, but you don’t do it in a few weeks.  Allow time for every farmer, trader, student, market women in the villages to be able to take their money to the bank and get new currency or go and meet them where they are doing their business, take the bullion vans with security to them and change their money for them with ease. POS won’t work in some places where there is network challenge.  Let us sit down and look at this thing and give a reasonable time to do this thing.” 

Read Also: El-Rufai, Fashola: Buhari’s backing for Tinubu solid

On Atiku’s rejection of further calls for extension of the policy, the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it shows massive disdain for suffering of the masses. 

According to him: “The fact that the Presidential candidate of the PDP, who last week issued statement appealing for extension because he wanted to get sympathy now turning around to sing another song speaks volume.  He wanted to come out to speak against our party and the President.  

“Now, with the extension of 10 days, he is turning round to say that the CBN should not extend means something.  It shows clearly that he is benefiting from the pain Nigerians are going through at the moment. I have seen protest in Lagos today.  I have reports of people in Kaduna that cannot buy food; they cannot sell because there is no cash, and yet, the PDP’s presidential candidate says don’t extend because he is gaining from it.”

He said Atiku was hoping to benefit from the pains of Nigerians on the policy. 

“The incitement of the people against the government of APC is a gain to him.  This incitement is stronger in the North where Atiku hopes to benefit from. Secondly, we should know that the presidential candidates of the other parties, like the NNPP, have strong relationships with some banks and even own some. They can get the currency while we can’t.

“I want Nigerians to understand very clearly that it is unfortunate that somebody who advocated for extension last week is now saying don’t extend.  If he has the poor at heart, the farmers, the market women and men, the villagers, he won’t say that.”

He countered Atiku’s argument that the cash swap will aid vote-buying, saying: “If Atiku Abubakar or anybody is saying that if you extend, there will be vote-buying. Is Naira the only currency with which you can buy votes? You can go across to Niger and buy cefa if the dollar is too big.  And after elections, cefa can be converted into Naira. That is not the solution to vote-buying.”