Sequel to the extension of the Supreme Court’s exparte order on naira swap, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Friday, 17 February, 2023, urged the people and residents of the state to continue spending the old naira notes and go about thier activities without being violent.
Speaking against the background of rowdy scenes at different banks, the governor said it is only the Supreme Court of Nigeria that has the final say on the matter.
Abiodun, who was on a campaign tour of Obafemi Owode Local Government, made a brief stop at a new generation bank in Abeokuta where he engaged the agitated crowd and urged them not to be violent.
Abiodun also had an engagement with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), where he emphasised that the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement that the status quo should remain, hence the need for the people to continue spending the old notes.
“There is a court order from the Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, that says status quo should be maintained on the matter of this new naira. So, I appeal to you not to be violent, but go ahead and spend the old naira notes.
“I want to apologise for the level of hardship that all of us are facing at this point in time in this country, I want you to know that, as your governor, I have no hand in it, neither do I or any of my colleagues have any part to play in this,” he said.
Speaking further, he maintained that though the redesigning of the naira is the obligation of the CBN, its implementation was not well outlined to ensure that the people get value for their money paid into the banks.
The state helmsman noted that the cashless policy and a redesigning policy are two separate policies that are not meant to be implemented together, revealing that the governors are doing their best to bring the situation under control.
“As good and laudable as the policy is, we are shocked at its implementation. Why should we want to redesign the naira which of course is the right of the CBN, and then turn it into a sort of cash confiscation policy?
“When you want to redesign the naira, you have an obligation to ensure that, for every naira that is taken, you give the same value back, that becomes your obligation because it is your choice to redesign the naira.
“Nobody says you cannot have a cashless policy, but a cashless policy and a redesign policy are two separate exclusive policies that are not meant to be implemented together”, Abiodun stated
He reiterated his earlier warning to shut and revoke the C-of-O of any commercial outfits that reject the old note.
“If I catch any merchant, super market or filling station in Ogun State that is not accepting the old naira notes until the determination of the suit before the Supreme Court, I will close that shop and revoke their certificates of occupancy,” he said.
While lauding the body of Christ for constantly praying for the peace and unity of the country, Governor Abiodun said his administration would give 60 percent concession to all religious bodies applying for approval to build their worship centres.
He called on the leadership of CAN to urge Christians to vote enmass for his developmental strides, while appealing to them to vote for the presidential candidate and all other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in the general elections.
He further called on them to continue to pray and have faith in God as the current challenges facing the country are sumountable.
He appealed to the people of the State not to resort to violence over the scarcity of the new naira notes, disclosing that governors in the country are doing their best to ease the suffering of the people.
The governor said though the Central Bank of Nigeria has authority over currency regulations, the implementation of the naira swap was not well thought out.
According to him, the currency redesigning is laudable, but the timing and the haphazard implementation of the policy has brought untold hardship on the people.
“I want to appeal to our people not to take laws into their hands in the form of protest and violence. My colleagues and I are working very hard to address the problem and ensure that our people do not suffer from unnecessary hardship”, he appealed
