The Presidential Candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso has said the redesign of some of the Nigerian currency is a mistake.
Kwankwanso is urging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele to either shift the deadline for the withdrawal of the old currency or open a window that allows Nigerians to deposit their money.
Speaking on Arise TV, Kwankwaso said if the deadline is not shifted, innocent Nigerians will lose their hard-earned savings.
He said, “As far as we are concerned, those of us in NNPP, we believe that the redesigning is a mistake, especially the timing. You can not just come last minute and then create the issue of redesign within a very short period of time in our circumstance today in the country.
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“Three months is not adequate. Look at currencies all over the world, people will stay for decades and decades without changing or redesigning. My advice based on the reality on the ground is people are suffering and worried. I can assure you that by the 31st of this month, there is no way Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas with no banks in their local government can do this change within the stipulated period. in other words, so many people will lose their savings. So many people land into crisis and these are innocent people who have worked earned to earn their money.”
The former Kano Governor said a lot of the unbanked Nigerians in rural communities will be impacted more than the target politicians.
“We have an advice for the government. The government in our opinion should try and reverse the date. It has to be extended. We are aware of the difficulties in the banks,” the NNPP candidate said.
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Kwankwaso revealed that in his hometown, Kano, that markets have been disrupted by the policy.
He said, “If the government decides not to extend, we believe that the right thing to do is to open a window for people to go and deposit their money and get it recorded.
“Some are saying the very politicians they want to suffocate, which we believe can never be suffocated. Some of these parties are owners of banks. In fact, the two other parties have got some governors everywhere.
“The governors will order banks to bring the whole money in the state to the government house and keep. If you are dealing with a bank owner and people who have billions and trillions in the bank, you cannot do anything.
“The money which is made for people with N5,000, N50,000 and N1m will all be packed by these
money bags. That is the problem.
“So, my suggestion is this, please Federal Government doesn’t say no to going back. If you want to say no going back, please we want to hear you talking about the bandits in the North West or Boko Haram in the North East and criminals elsewhere.
“If you don’t want to extend time or you don’t have money, allow people to go and deposit and keep their money. When you have money, you pay them.
“In NNPP our position is very clear. If for any reason government decides not to extend the time and the masses have their own money in their houses, we will make sure that the money will not become a waste. Meaning if we have the opportunity (elected), we will have a window and ask them to come and take their money. Nigerians should not take laws into their hands.”
