President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday reaffirmed that his government’s decision to redesign several naira note denominations would stand.
While the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, claims her office wasn’t told, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has begun the process of redesigning N1,000, N500, and N200 notes, bringing complaints from several regions of the nation.
But speaking in an interview on Wednesday in London where he is currently on medical vacation, President Buhari said the policy has come to stay.
He said: “No going back,” in response to a story on the policy.
The President said enough time has been given by the CBN for Nigerians to deposit the present naira notes in exchange for the newly redesigned ones which will be issued by December 15, 2022.
“On this change of currency, there will be a lot of money but time has been given from October to December, three months is enough for whatever money you have, to get it changed through the legal system. So, I don’t know why people are complaining about it.”
President Buhari also said politicians will not be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate voters in the 2023 general elections.
“My aim is to make sure that Nigerians believe that we respect them as an administration.
“So, Nigerians should vote for whoever they like from whichever political party.
“Nobody will be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate people in any constituency.
“That is what I want to go down in Nigerian history for as a leader.”