New Naira Notes Deadline: How Buhari Rejected Advice from Governors, Traditional Rulers – Ganduje
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has revealed that governors of the 36 states and traditional rulers from across the country have met President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to shift the deadline for the expiration of the old naira notes but the President has refused to yeild.
The Governor said the January deadline is not feasible and is making life difficult for the people of Kano state.
He said the state government therefore resolved and wrote to the Presidency to postpone President Buhari’s visit for security reasons since the people are angry.
President Buhari was scheduled to visit the state on Monday to commission some projects undertaken by the state government.
According to the government, it was deeply concerned with the hardship caused by limited time given for halting use of old Naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which has turned the people against the federal government.
A protest had marred President Buhari’s visit to Katsina on Thursday with protesters throwing pebbles at government vehicles and burning of tyres over the hardship of fuel scarcity and old naira notes deadline.
A statement issued by Abba Anwar , Chief Press Secretary to the Governor ,on Saturday, said Ganduje made this known during his interactive session with scholars, legislators, political leaders and the business community in the state at the Government House.
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“As we are waiting for this important visit, we found ourselves in this situation, which puts citizens into untold hardship. For security purpose we wrote to Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Kano be postponed,’’ the governor said.
‘’We got an acknowledgement copy of the letter. People are really suffering because of this policy,” the governor added.
Two serving Senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Barau Jibrin, Twenty members of House of Representatives and Thirty legislators from the State House of Assembly threw their weight behind the governor during the meeting.
The governor lamented that: “There are no banks in most of our rural communities. How these people will get new Naira notes is of great concern. Just look at what is happening in our urban areas, people go and spend hours upon hours in banks. And without any assurances of getting the new notes.”
‘’Even at Point of Sales (POS), one cannot transact with ease as many of them closed shops due to uncertainty.’’
He emphasised that Kano being a commercial hub must be heard loudly, insisting that, “This problem affects all of us. Therefore our voice must be heard in all nooks and crannies. We are a commercial hub. As such our position must be loud and clear.”
Governor Ganduje revealed further that, under one platform, Nigerian governors without consideration to party affiliation, sent delegates to President Buhari complaining to him about the hardship caused by the new development.
“Governors from all the political parties put heads together and sent delegates, but to no avail. So also traditional rulers followed the same path, but individually. But up till now there is nothing in that respect,” Ganduje disclosed.
Governor Ganduje also promised to take prominent Kano indigenes to see the President and convince him on the need to shift the deadline.
