Wike claims naira redesign political, decries effects on Nigerians

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday alleged that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) redesign of the naira notes was politically driven.

The governor stated this after receiving a letter of nomination for the Independent Newspapers’ “Independent Man of the Year 2022” award.

He insisted that the apex bank has further impoverished Nigerians with its careless handling of the naira redesign.

The governor said: “We are in a difficult situation now. It doesn’t matter what anybody may say. Nigerians are suffering now and as a people we owe that responsibility to cushion the hardship Nigerians are facing and not worsen the situation.

“Nobody says, and let it be on record that there is nothing wrong with redesigning our naira. What we are saying is the implementation will not help, rather it will aggravate the condition that people face, particularly the poor people.

READ ALSO: CIBN addresses banks’ survival amid attacks caused by CBN’s Naira redesign policy

“The whole thing is being political, and that is not what it is supposed to be.”

“You have also not made the new one available and then you have said we can’t collect the old one again. Now, you that even have money in the bank, you’re not allowed to even collect your money.”

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said on Tuesday there was no going back on the February 10 deadline for the withdrawal of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 from circulation.

Emefiele stated this when he briefed members of the diplomatic community at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.

“The situation is substantially calming down since the commencement of over-the-counter payments to complement ATM disbursements and the use of super-agents. There is, therefore, no need to consider any shift from the deadline of February 10,” he said.

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