What Wike, El-Rufai, Ganduje said after Buhari disobeyed S'Court ruling on naira swap policy

The decision by President Buhari to go contrary to the ruling of the Supreme Court on the new naira redesign, swap and what must be or not be a legal tender has generated an uproar among average Nigerians and the political class.

The president in a televised message instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make available the old N200 notes to banks for recirculation to Nigerians following the scarcity of the new notes.

His directive goes against the ruling by the Supreme Court that placed an injunction on the CBN from the declaration that the old N200, N500 and N1000 stopped being legal tenders.

With less than 10 days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, Nigerians on social media have hit the streets in protest while governors in some states have dared the president as they, through a statewide telecast instructed citizens to continue using the old notes.

So far protests have erupted in some parts of Benin while an uprising was quashed by the police in Lagos as protesters hit the street due to the lack of money.

Below, MyNigeria takes a look at some politicians who have criticized the governments policy

Rivers Governor, Nysesom Wike

In his reaction to the Buhari's decision, Wike stressed that his decision wasn't proper.

In a media chat, the governor said: “The highest court of the land has made a pronouncement. The Supreme Court has said do not do anything that will affect the use of the old naira note.

“I feel that the President’s declaration is not the proper thing and I am not happy.

“This also tells us how we do not respect or obey the rule of law. At this level, the advisers to the President would have said, ‘This issue is subject to litigation and any step you take will one way or the other affect the Supreme Court’s (stance)’.”

EL-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor

Not only did El-Rufai disagreed with President Buhari on his decision, he announced that the new naira notes remain legal tenders in the state.

His directive is in sharp contrast to President Buhari's national broadcast early Thursday where he declared that old N500 and N1000 were no longer valid.

In a statewide address on Thursday night, El-Rufai said: “For the avoidance of doubt, all the old and new notes shall remain in use as legal tender in Kaduna State until the Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise.

“I therefore appeal to all residents of Kaduna State to continue to use the old and new notes side by side without any fear. The Kaduna State Government and its agencies shall seal any facility that refuses to accept the old notes as legal tender and prosecute the owners.

“If need be, we shall take further consequential actions according to the law. The address by the President earlier this morning limiting the legal tender status of old notes to only N200 amounts to total disregard and disobedience of the ruling of February 8th which was extended further yesterday by the Supreme Court.

“The misguided action of the Attorney-General to mislead the President into engaging in this public violation of the order of the highest court of the land shows how desperate the policy architects are to cause national chaos, by showing open contempt for the judiciary.

Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State

Toeing the same path as his counterpart, Ganduje accused President Buhari of refusing to abide by the Supreme Court order.

He said in an audio recording that, “President Buhari should remember that for several times he was trying to contest Presidency but he couldn’t make it until there was an alliance, but now after enjoying everything, he turned back against the same democratic system that saw him to office”.

He accused the President of refusing to heed genuine advice but chose to do the bidding of those misleading him, even at the detriment of his party, the APC.

“I wonder why the President is hellbent on making the same Party that helped him to win elections lose out, what did we do to him that he is this ignorant on several pieces of advice forwarded to him.

“This same Buhari he contested again and again but he couldn’t win not until there was an alliance. Now he wins and wins again for the second term, now that he is living, he wants to cripple the same Party that brought him to power why?

“This Currency Swap Policy, why didn’t the President bring it seven and a half years ago or after elections, but now one must be compelled to think that there is an ulterior motive in the whole thing,” the Kano Governor said

Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa State

Abubakar said that the old notes remain legal tender pending the judgement of the Supreme Court.

According to him “Jigawa State is among the States before the Supreme Court of Nigeria the CBN and the court have issued an order “…restraining the CBN from suspending or determining or ending on the 10th of February, 2023, the time frame within which the now older versions of the 200, 500 and 1000 denominations of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on notice…”

It enjoined its citizens to desist from disobeying the law and causing hardships to the people of the State.

Shehu Sani, Former Kaduna central Senator

On his part, the former Senator said President Buhari has limite knowlegde in economics. He expressed worry that the naira redesign policy has brought suffering to Nigerians.

According to him, there should have been a wide consultation beyond getting approval from the president before the introduction of the policy, noting that the country is in “a man-made economic turbulence”.

NBA