APC Governors appeal to Buhari to allow new and old naira notes coexist, cooperate

Governors of All Progressive Congress (APC) have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow both the old and new naira notes to coexist and co-operate for some considerable time to ease the suffering of Nigerians.

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai spoke with some journalists working for the Hausa services of some broadcast stations on the issue and he spoke in Hausa language.

He said that while the Central Bank of Nigeria, mopped up over N2 trillion of the old note, it printed only N300 billion of the new note which was not enough.

el-Rufai, who was accompanied by his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje, said even if the CBN had wanted to implement the cashless policy, they should have printed at least half of what they mopped up, which was N1 trillion.

He said they told the president that the masses were suffering and traders were losing their goods due to lack of patronage.

He gave example of tomatoes seller that travelled to Lagos with their goods but all got wasted because people had no money to buy.

“So they appealed to the president to reconsider his stance,” he said.

el-Rufai said the president did not respond to them either affirmatively or negatively.

He disclosed that the chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, has gone back to meet the President privately with the Hope to convince him.

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