Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has told traders in the state to keep using the old naira notes for their business transactions, OduNews reports.
Speaking on Tuesday at a meeting with the traders in Kaduna, el-Rufai said if Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is elected, he will review the naira redesign policy.
“Stop changing your money and tell everyone to stop taking money to banks. If you sell anything, accept the old note if it’s given to you. Stop saying it’s only the new notes that you will accept because your market will stop and that is what they want,” he said.
“Tell everyone in Kaduna who has the old notes to spend them and buy items. Tell every trader to accept the old notes.
“Nasir el-Rufai, Uba Sani, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu promise you that if we (APC) are elected, this policy will be changed and everyone will be given sufficient time to change their money.
“Stop taking your money to banks, keep them with you. Nobody can make your money to become worthless. It is the law; nobody can do it.
“It’s just a matter of time; be patient. We have 18 days to the elections. Once the elections are over, you should expect what Asiwaju Bola Tinubu would say, which is the change of this policy.
“You should help us pass this message to relatives. Everyone should stop taking money to banks; continue trading with the old notes.”
The CBN had in October announced the plan to redesign the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes and asked Nigerians to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023, when they would cease to be legal tender. The deadline was later shifted to February 10th following complaints by many Nigerians.
The governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Nasarawa states further dragged the federal government to court to halt the implementation of the deadline and further extend the deadline. The supreme court on Wednesday granted a temporary suspension of the deadline till February 15th when it will deliver its verdict on the issue.
