Buhari: Ordinary Nigerians, not our target

Buhari: Ordinary Nigerians, not our target

… But not many Nigerians, including Tinubu agree

By the PHC Telegraph

As more Nigerians groan under the weight of what they perceive as the obnoxious policies of the present administration, President Muhammadu Buhari has explained that the reprint of the naira is not intended to put them through the eye of the needle.

The president who spoke through Garba Shehu, SSA Media, said those in the habit of hiding local currencies in their homes were the target of the action conceived by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Although in principle the CBN initiative is intended to stabilize the naira and strengthen the national economy, Buhari insisted that dealing with Nigerians who are hoarding illicit funds is absolutely necessary.

However, not many people caught up in long queues in and outside banking halls agree with the president.

Reports pouring in from Nigeria’s troubled spots suggest terrorists and other gangsters who are being targeted may already have access to the new naira notes.

But across the country, thousands of ordinary Nigerians have besieged premises of commercial banks in search of new currencies.

Despite pressure mounted by Nigerians hit by the twain impact of funds scarcity and spiraling fuel costs, the CBN under the watch of Godwin Emefiele has said there is no going back on its currency swap deadline.

On January 31st, the old naira notes which are presently in circulation will seize to be legal tender.

Attempts by lawmakers to get the banker’s bank and the outgoing government to back down in the interest of the Nigerian people have failed.

Invitations extended to Emefiele, CBN Governor, by the National Assembly have been ignored, with the apex bank insisting that January 31st would remain sacrosanct.

At the grassroots where the bulk of the Nigerian people reside, many are in great pain as local traders are now rejecting the old naira.

Nigerians who have bared their minds in course of interviews with the press say they have nothing to buy much needed supplies, including edibles.

Many here feel they are being forced by the Federal Government to go through the crucible while the nation’s commercial banks are complaining that they are not getting enough of the new naira notes to issue to their numerous customers.

President Buhari who stepped into the ring Saturday is promising that obstacles faced by Nigerians will be overcome.

The country’s number one citizen however did not say if he would get the CBN to change its position, at least to ameliorate the burden most families are carrying at this time.

The CBN had opted four months ago to alter the look of some denominations of the naira, including the 1,000, 500 and 200 naira notes.

All of a sudden the support that the apex bank secured from interest groups which shouted themselves hoarse at the commencement of the exercise have all but evaporated.

The Port Harcourt Telegraph reports that the patience of the people on the streets is gradually reaching breaking point, given growing concerns that the old currencies in their possession might go to waste at the expiration of the deadline.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presidential candidate of the APC has cried out.

He is alleging that “powers that be” are trying to prevent him from going ahead to win the 2023 general election.

There is a school of thought which believes Tinubu obviously lashed out at the president, a charge that his close aides deny.

Hannatu Musawa, Spokeswoman for Tinubu’s campaign outfit said on Arise Television Saturday, there was nothing wrong in the candidate’s comments on the currency swap and the growing scarcity of petroleum products.

Musawa maintained Tinubu would win convincingly inspite events that are playing out in the field.

Governor Nyesom Wike has long alleged that there is someone in the Presidency who is deeply connected to the Atiku campaign.

Tinubu’s recent outcry may well confirm Wike’s disclosure that some persons in Aso Rock may be working behind the scene with the PDP to create hardship for the Nigerian people in order to destroy the electoral chances of the Lagos strongman.

The way things are, most Nigerians are beginning to align with Tinubu’s claim even as the Buhari government increasingly faces the risk of a possible national uprising over currency shortages and fuel scarcity.

Meanwhile, the president has assured Nigerians that government will ensure that citizens are unharmed in their businesses.

He has also promised that there will be no disruption caused to the entire supply chain arising from the currency swap which is expected to end soon.