A week to the 2023 general elections, all is now clear that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is going to the polls as a divided house.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party, is at the centre of attacks by his one time loyal and close friends.
Governors on the party’s platform are on the offensive against the President, with some of them declaring openly that the President’s orders with regards to the Naira redesign policy would not be obeyed.
Buhari had in a national broadcast on Thursday approved the restoration of the old N200 notes as legal tender. He, however, said the February 10 deadline for the old N1000 and N500 notes remains.
Buhari said, “To further ease the supply pressures, particularly to our citizens, I have given approval to the CBN that the old N200 bank notes be released back into circulation.
“And that it should also be allowed to circulate as legal tender with the new N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes for 60 days from February 10, 2023 to April 10 2023 when the old N200 notes cease to be legal tender.”
But Governors on the platform of his party, the APC would not have it.
They are insisting the policy was designed by ‘certain elements’ in the presidency, to stop the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu from winning the presidential election.
Leading the onslaught are Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, as well as their Jigawa counterpart, Badaru Abubakar.
El-Rufai and Ganduje are claiming that there was a plan to truncate the country’s democracy and force a military rule.
Their claim is not far from the allegations made by Femi Fani-Kayode, for which he is now a daily guest of the Department of State Services, DSS.
The military was also quick to declare that it had no plan to meddle into the country’s democratic process, warning politicians to be mindful of their utterances.
But the President’s former close men are now voicing out more attacks on his administration.
El-Rufai addressed residents of his State on Thursday evening, asking them to continue using the old Naira notes. This is in total disobedience to the President’s earlier order.
El-rufai urged them to stand up strongly for democracy, peace and national unity.
He said, “Let us stay calm and peaceful, and support the lawful means being utilised to solve our problems. On behalf of the Kaduna State Government, I wish to assure you that none of you would lose the money you have in old notes.
“Let no artificial and illegal deadline frighten you. Whether you live in towns, villages or in our isolated rural communities, do not feel stampeded to deposit your old notes in the banks. Hold on to them.
“Continue to use them as legal tender as ordered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. No deadline can render them worthless, ever. The law is on your side. The Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and the Bills of Exchange Act, both oblige the CBN to recognise your old notes and give you value in new notes whenever you bring them to the CBN, even in the next 100 years.
“Therefore, as your governor, I wish to assure you that the Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with elected legislators, traditional institution, elected local government councils, markets, and traders associations will help you collect, record, document, collate and deliver all your old notes to the Kaduna branch of the Central Bank on your behalf into the new ones immediately after the elections.”
