Show Buhari some respect, CSOs tell govs over suit against naira swap policy

The Civil Society Organisations Central Coordinating Council (CSOCCC), a coalition of CSOs, has asked the governors challenging the naira swap policy in court to “show the president some respect”.

A suit by Kogi, Zamfara, and Kaduna states led to an interim order of the supreme court restraining the federal government from enforcing the February 10 deadline for the use of old naira notes.

Lagos, Kano, Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Ekiti states have also applied to join the suit at the apex court.

Despite the court order, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it would enforce the deadline.

Addressing a media conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Obed Okwukwe, the coalition’s convener, said the naira swap policy will reduce the availability of illicit cash.

“We, therefore, call on Mr. President and the heads of all our security agencies to keep an eye on the activities in the various state government houses and the banking halls,” Okwukwe said.

“Anyone caught sabotaging the system should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“We further call on governors Nasir el-Rufai, Bello Matawalle, Hope Uzodimma, Abdullahi Ganduje, Yahaya Bello, Rotimi Akeredolu, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Nyesom Wike, Douye Diri, and Biodun Oyebanji, to please show Mr. President, some respect.

“We support the President and the CBN Governor for full implementation of the policy and we will deny support to all opponents of the policy.

“We also have confidence in the effort of the President and the CBN Governor to ameliorate the genuine suffering and hardship of the people occasioned by the sabotage the system is facing. The CBN should closely monitor the banks and their disbursement of their allocations of cash.

“POS operators in line with the resolutions at their last meeting with the CBN should not lend themselves to greedy politicians to sabotage the system. Petrol stations, please accept POS payments from customers; do not insist on cash. Everyone playing their little roles correctly will solve these problems in a little while.

“In a few days, Nigeria goes into the general election. The credibility of the election will be questioned if politicians have access to illicit cash with which to compromise the system.”