Gov Diri gives reasons for supporting naira redesign

The Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, has explained why he was supporting the Federal Government on the redesign of the naira notes.

Bayelsa and Edo States on Wednesday joined the federal government as respondents in the suit filed by some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors challenging the redesign of the naira notes at Supreme Court.

In a statement signed by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, the governor distanced Bayelsa from states opposing the naira redesign and reaffirmed his support to the federal government on the exercise.

He said contrary to claim by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations, he was fully in support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the policy.

The statement read: “The government of Bayelsa State is particularly dismayed that CSOs that should be better informed rather yielded themselves as agent-provocateur to misinform Nigerians.

“The government urges the CSOs to go study the papers that some states filed at the Supreme Court on the new notes suit instead of spreading falsehood.

“For the avoidance of doubts, Governor Diri is not opposed to the Naira re-design policy of the CBN or the Federal Government. What he is opposed to is the hardship the implementation of the policy has visited on Nigerians.

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“When he spoke publicly for the first time about the policy a week ago, it was at a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Kaduna South senatorial campaign launch at Zonkwa in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

“His comments in support of the policy were unflattering and unambiguous.

“All the CBN is saying is that anybody who does not earn money should not have money in bullion vans to go and buy over our voters. That is all the CBN has said and we support that policy.

“The Bayelsa government, therefore, challenges the CSOs, to show concrete proof that their motive was not a hatchet job that eventually misfired.

“If their intention was not borne out of mischief, why include Governor Diri, a PDP governor, among his colleagues of the All Progressives Congress that are purportedly against a decision taken by their ruling party in government?

“By his disposition, Governor Diri at all times, in his deeds and actions, promotes the peace and unity of Nigeria.

He would therefore not engage in any activity that would undermine his party or even the corporate existence of the country.”

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