Naira redesign: Tinubu didn’t ask governors to disregard Buhari, says APC campaign

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council has denied the claim that Bola Tinubu, the party’s candidate, asked governors to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on the old naira notes.

In a televised address on Thursday, Buhari said he has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the validity of old N200 notes till April 10.

The president also said all existing old N1,000 and N500 notes will remain redeemable at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and designated points for 60 days.

However, some governors — including Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna — have disregarded the directive and asked residents of their states to continue to spend the old naira notes pending the determination of a motion before the supreme court.

In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, its director of media and publicity, the APC campaign council said its attention has been drawn to a claim that Tinubu asked APC governors to ignore the president’s directive.

Onanuga said the report was “fake” as Tinubu never issued such an order.

“Mr Dele Alake, the APC-PCC Adviser on Media and Communications never issued such advisory on behalf of Asiwaju Tinubu,” the statement reads.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has been known, since the currency swap crisis started, to call for calm as the authorities try to find out a solution to the currency crisis. He has offered a six-point suggestion to lessen the anguish our people are facing in trying to get money from the banks.

“He has also held several meetings with President Buhari, his leader, over the matter.

“It is thus inconceivable and unthinkable that he would instruct APC governors to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s order on the currency matter.

“Governors who have so far declared this line of action said clearly that they were acting on the ruling of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. Asiwaju has had no influence in this decision.”