Naira Crisis: "Atiku Dislikes Poor Nigerians," El-Rufai Blasts PDP Presidential Candidate

Naira Crisis: "Atiku Dislikes Poor Nigerians," El-Rufai Blasts PDP Presidential Candidate

  • Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna state governor, has cautioned Nigerians to be wary of Atiku Abubakar
  • El-Rufai who served as FCT minister when Atiku was Nigeria's vice president, said the PDP presidential candidate detests poor Nigerians
  • The Kaduna state chief executive made the comment in reaction to Atiku's stance on the recent policies of the CBN

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FCT, Abuja - Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has stated that the views of presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar on the cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) show he is a wicked man with no concern for the poor masses.

El-Rufai also said that by asking the CBN not to extend the deadline beyond Friday, February 10, the PDP presidential candidate has confirmed he has no regard or sympathy for the downtrodden in the society who are mostly affected by the policy.

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Nasir
El-Rufai said the PDP presidential candidate is benefitting politically from the pains Nigerians are currently passing through. Photo credit: Kaduna state government
Source: Facebook

Speaking on TVC on Thursday, February 2, the Kaduna governor said:

“If you look at the statement from the other party after I spoke on the cash swap, we are not against the policy. Cashless is the way to go. We have no problem with it, but you don’t do it in a few weeks.

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“Allow time for every farmer, trader, student, market women in the villages to be able to take their money to the bank and get new currency or go and meet them where they are doing their business. Let us sit down and look at this thing and give a reasonable time to do this thing.”

On Atiku’s rejection of further calls for extension of the policy, El-Rufai said:

“The fact that the presidential candidate of the PDP, who last week issued statement appealing for extension because he wanted to get sympathy now turning around to sing another song speaks volume. He wanted to come out to speak against our party and the president.

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CBN issues fresh update on Feb 10 deadline for old naira notes as Buhari calls for patience

“Now, with the extension of 10 days, he is turning round to say that the CBN should not extend means something. It shows clearly that he is benefiting from the pain Nigerians are going through at the moment.
“I have seen protest in Lagos today. I have reports of people in Kaduna that cannot buy food; they cannot sell because there is no cash, and yet, the PDP’s presidential candidate says don’t extend because he is gaining from it.”

He said Atiku was hoping to benefit from the pains of Nigerians on the policy.

He added:

“I want Nigerians to understand very clearly that it is unfortunate that somebody who advocated for extension last week is now saying don’t extend. If he has the poor at heart, the farmers, the market women and men, the villagers, he won’t say that.”

El-Rufai: A governor collected N500million new notes from one bank

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In a related development, Governor El-Rufai said a serving governor in the country got N500 million worth of new naira notes from a bank.

Daily Trust reports that El-Rufai said politicians who are targets of the naira redesign policy already have their way.

The Kaduna state governor noted that it is only the downtrodden in the society that are being affected by the policy.

APC governors meet Buhari over naira crisis, anti-Buhari elements in Aso Rock

Meanwhile, governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, on Friday, February 3 met with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The visit of the state chief executives to the president was to discuss challenges being faced by Nigerians over the scarcity of naira notes.

The governors also discusses allegations that some members of Buhari's cabinet are working against the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Cracks widen in APC over Tinubu's presidential ambition few weeks to elections

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Legit.ng had earlier reported that Tinubu faces massive rejection from members of his own party few weeks before the 2023 presidential election

The former Lagos state governor had angrily hinted that his ambition does not have the backing of the powers that be while speaking in Abeokuta.

Days later, Tinubu fired shots at the Buhari administration for some of its economic policies.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Jerrywright Ukwu avatar

Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.