By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Those expecting the Naira swap deadline of February 10 earlier approved by the Federal Government to stay may be disappointed as the state governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who are opposed to the Naira redesign have met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors in the Presidential Villa Abuja today.
Although no official statement on what transpired in the meeting between the President and APC governors have been given, the Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje who attended the closed doors meeting told State House Correspondents on the sideline of the Presidential Villa that the governors gave the President reasons why the old Naira notes should continue to be a legal tender side by side with the new Naira notes until the later dies a natural death.
According to Ganduje, the Chairman of APC Progressive Governors Forum has been mandated to speak officially to the press on the outcome of the meeting with President Buhari, but he disclosed that the delegation discussed the Naira redesign and fuel scarcity currently putting Nigerians on the edge with the President.
Said he: “Our Chairman will brief the media on what we discussed with Mr. President but I can tell you that it centered on the Naira redesign and fuel scarcity. It’s our opinion that the old Naira notes should remain legal tender until they die natural death”.
Asked what was the response of President Buhari, Ganduje said he promised to look into the requests made to him.
Prompt News reports that the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele had announced the extention for the exchange of old Naira notes by 17 days from the earlier date of January 31.
In a press statement issued last Sunday, the CBN governor, said the new deadline is February 10, 2023 with additional seven days grace period.
