10 Govs launch syndicated attacks on implementation of new Naira policy – CSOs

…urge then to stop incitement against President
…pass vote of confidence on Buhari, Emefiele

By Tunde Opalana

Ten serving state governors are involved in a syndicated attack towards successful implementation of the newly redesigned naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Coordinating Council of Civil Society of Organisation which made this allegations said the state executives termed ‘G10 Governors’ are determined to undermine all constitutional means of achieving the policy aimed at sanitizing the economy.

The CSOs at a world press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday passed vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Emefiele on the implementation of the Naira redesigning policy.

The body said the community of civil society in the country is concerned with the state of the national and how to safeguard democracy.

Convener of the Coordinating Council of Civil Society of Organisation, Obed Okwukwe who addressed the press said the briefing was meant to brief the nation on the feelings of Nigerians on the ew Naira policy, state its views and position on the Eexparte -orders of the Supreme Court.

It pointedly stated that it was mere subterfuge that the Governors who approached the Supreme Court did so without the love of their people.

He said “since the implementation of the new Naira policy, Nigerians and indeed the system have started seeing the gains. Except for the hitches of the unavailability of cash particularly for small businesses, which is caused by sabotage from those who do not want the policy so they can continue with their illicit trade, other major indicators show that the impact of the policy on our economy is quite positive.

“Also on security, the impact is being felt as kidnappers now know that there is no cash to pay for ransom. On our electoral process, it is now obvious to Nigerians that it is only the vote buyers that are complaining.

“This policy is facing a syndicated attack from a group of Governors who we have termed the G10 Governors. These Governors have vowed that this policy will not see the light of the day. They are willing to go the extra mile including making our country ungovernable and undermining constitutional governance and bring the entire country to a halt all for their own reasons which are selfish.

“Gentlemen, money moves in cycles. Banks pay out money and money is paid into banks. That is how cash circulates in an economy. So do we not wonder why banks pay out money and the money is not paid back into the bank?

“These Governors are mopping up the money and stopping it from circulation.
The CBN had announced that it deployed N300 billion in cash as the first tranche of cash it disbursed. We all can agree that the money was hijacked and did not trickle down to the people and the people who took hold of it from the Commercial banks have not brought it out to circulate.

“They are withholding the money using various means including deploying agents who use multiple ATM cards to withdraw the money, colluding with their banker agents to continue to trap the moneys in the banks and buying off cash from business places that ordinarily make huge cash transactions like petrol stations, supermarkets and departmental stores.

“This has made some of these businesses insist on only cash payment as the profit they make from the sales of the Naira covers for the loss of business from those who do not have the cash to pay.

“Gentlemen may we now inform you that we have uncovered a grand plot, I repeat, we have uncovered a grand plot by 10 Governors who have resolved to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Muhammadu Buhari if he refuses to reverse the new Naira policy.

It is amazing to note that the Governors behind this plot were the same Governors a couple of years ago who took advantage of every opportunity to praise President Muhammadu Buhari to high heavens. However, obviously because the second tenure is coming to an end, these Governors now believe that the President is not deserving of their respect.

“That is quite hypocritical. It means all they were showing the President was sycophantic solidarity, hence we must therefore remind them at this point in time that President Muhammadu Buhari is and still remains the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until the 29th May, 2023 and not one day before.”

The CSOs alleged that these Governors have unfortunately switched allegiance to a new godfather not minding that he is yet to win the Presidential election.

“They are willing to dare constitutional governance and do anything including creating anarchy just to enthrone him and achieve their narrow political ambitions. Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State as you all know has announced that once their candidate wins, they would cancel the new Naira policy.

“We therefore ask, how many legacies of the President Buhari administration will El-Rufai demand that the new government they intend to form cancel and revers? How many other anti-corruption policies of President Buhari will be reversed if Governor El-rufai and co attain this power which they so desperately seek?

Challenging the fingered Governors, the body said “anyone caught sabotaging the system should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“We further call on Governors Nair 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. Halt the incitement of the public against the President.

“You all have benefited from the generosity of this President. He has allowed all of you the freehand to run your states. Today you battle him because a legacy policy he has put in place to benefit the people seems like it will expose most of your failures before the people on election day and you are inciting the public against him.

“We wish to state that as the apex body of the civil society in Nigeria, the entire civil society in Nigeria supports this policy, 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 body further claimed that intelligence showed there will be intensified cash-scarcity drama across the geopolitical zones, stressing that “people will pretend to collapse, people will go naked. there will be pre-arranged fights and many other things to press home their demands. Many people have been activated to make this happen.

“Groups have also been mobilized to daily report to at various bank ATM locations to always stand around and help create the impression and make it look like there are crowds at the banks who are not being attended to. Scenes will be created and this is expected to put more pressure on the system and lead to the abandonment or reversal of the policy.

The CSOs urged Nigerians not to allow a few desperate people to stop the wheel of constitutional governance in the country as the new Naira policy is not aimed at impoverishing the people neither is it aimed at making the people suffer more hardship.

RAED ALSO: Valentine Season: Polaris Bank excites existing

“It was a beautifully thought out policy with perfect timing to checkmate the use of cash to subvert the sovereignty of the people, immediately stop counterfeiting, strengthen the Naira, checkmate ransom taking, banditry and money laundering,” it added.

The organisations said “this policy has come to stay. There is no going back. This is the best time for it to be implemented, just before elections. It is a master stroke and we commend the CBN and President Muhammadu Buhari for the outstanding courage to initiate this policy.”