Lasun Alagbe
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has alleged that the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is the evil genius being used by some forces to destabilise the upcoming election and subsequently the Third Republic.
He said the current financial crisis in the country was deliberately orchestrated by the CBN under him to cause crises and label the All Progressives Congress as incompetent.
El-Rufai said this on Tuesday when he met with market leaders in Kaduna.
Emefiele, however, said he or the CBN would not be part of any ploy that could negatively affect the outcome of the elections.
He said this on Tuesday during a meeting with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
But according to El-Rufai, it is wrong for Emefiele to enforce the cashless policy within a short time when the infrastructure needed for it are not in place.
El-Rufai said only 34 per cent of Nigerians had bank accounts while far less were involved in digital transactions.
“The CBN has withdrawn from circulation N2bn while it made available to banks only N3bn,” El-Rufai alleged.
Kaduna State government on Tuesday appealed for caution in the face of the cash crunch being experienced across the country.
Meanwhile, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, expressed government’s views in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.
“The Kaduna State government wishes to appeal for caution and vigilance by all citizens in the face of the prevailing situation arising from the cash swap and currency redesign policy,’’ he stated.
Aruwan added that government was aware that certain individuals and groups had plans to organise massive protests, seizing on the acute shortage of cash and attendant hardships faced by citizens.
“Citizens are reminded that care must be taken not to play into the plans of dubious elements seeking to create crisis at this crucial period.
“Citizens are thus advised to ignore these calls for massive protests in the interest of public security.
“ Government expresses its sincerest empathy over the tight situation, and urges for calm and restraint as efforts continue to be made towards easing the difficulties,’’ the commissioner stated.
Aruwan added that Gov. Nasir El-Rufai met with the leadership of the Kaduna State Market Traders Association on Tuesday to reiterate appeals for patience and calm.
He stated that the governor assured the meeting that legal means were being vigorously explored in tandem with other state governments, to relieve people of the present sufferings.
Present at the governor’s meeting with traders were the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Sen. Uba Sani, and the Administrator, Kaduna Capital Territory Authority, Mr Hafiz Bayero.
