A few hours after the Supreme Court adjourned the currency redesign case to February 22, the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufia has debunked media report alleging that the State Governors and Federal government held a meeting to deliberate the currency Swap
The special adviser on Media and Communication to the Governor, Muyiwa Adekeye who disclosed the El-Rufia’s position in a release, stated that the media house was misinformed by its source.
The release reads in part: “there was no meeting this week between the federal government and either the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) or the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), much less of one lasting till the wee hours of Wednesday, 15th February, 2023.”
The Spokesman stated that rather , some senior officials of the federal government reached some governors, including Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on phone to initiate discussions on a possible out of court settlement.
According to him, the terms they proposed were to allow only the old N200 note to remain legal tender and be circulated by the CBN till 10th April, 2023 as they claimed that the CBN had already destroyed the old N500 and N1000 notes that had been deposited, adding that Nigerians in possession of the old notes could redeem them up to 10th April, 2023.
“These were not considered as serious proposals for obvious reasons. Circulating the old N200 notes alone would not bring succour to widespread hardships engendered by the obnoxious policy in Kaduna State, and indeed in Nigeria.
“They knew that, and that was why they falsely claimed that the CBN had already destroyed the old N500 and N1000 notes.
This is contrary to the fact available to the governors to the effect that the old notes were in the custody of commercial banks until the evening of Monday, February 13, and not a single N500 or N1000 had been destroyed.
“It is also a non-starter to insist on a new cut off date without first assuring that sufficient new notes would have been printed and circulated. Information available to the governors also indicates that the Mint will need at least 12 months to print the minimum amount of N1 trillion needed to ensure a functioning trade and exchange environment in Nigeria.
“The tabling of false facts, inadequate solutions to the sufferings of our people, and the bad faith that some of the FG negotiators displayed in our phone conversations and chats have now been taken further in leaking a false account and context to a respected medium,” the release stated
Adekeye disclosed that Nasir El-Rufai would be addressing the people of Kaduna State on this currency redesign crisis, the consequences of the extension of the injunction of the Supreme Court and related matters tomorrow, Thursday .
