Sunday, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to abide by the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the currency redesign and swap policy.
At a meeting with the governors elected on its platform and presidential candidate Bola Tinubu at the APC headquarters in Abuja, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) reaffirmed that the order of the supreme court is still in effect.
The group also encouraged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene immediately and put an end to the current suffering caused by the improper application of monetary policy.
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and Bello Mattawale, the governor of Zamafara State, had sued the Federal Government and the CBN to court over the policy in response to Nigerians’ hardship.
The Federal Government and the CBN proceeded to implement the policy against the order of the supreme court.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told reporters that the party, the governors, and the presidential candidate are on the same page with regard to the conference’s conclusion. The meeting lasted almost three hours.
He said, “I am sure you are aware that a meeting of APC governors was held today, and that the leadership of our great party’s NWC was summoned for discussions. At the conclusion of those discussions, we reached the following resolution, which has no bearing whatsoever on the case currently pending before the Supreme Court.” This pertains to the question of currency redesign.
“We take very seriously the fact that the program and its implementation are generating enormous challenges for the Nigerian people and the economy.”
“That we urge the Attorney General of the Federation and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to abide by the order of temporary injunction issued by the Supreme Court, which is still in effect.
“That the meeting urges His Excellency, Mr. President, to intervene in fixing the conditions causing this severe economic hardship”
Atiku Bagudu, the governor of Kebbi state and chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), stated that all parties present at the conference supported the motion.
“We are on the same page,” he stated. The APC Governors Forum and the NWC constitute a single party. We are all present.
“The chairman (Abdullahi Adamu) stated that the governors and the party are the same, and I am very proud of the conduct of our campaigns by our presidential candidate under the able leadership of our party, led by Abdullahi Adamu, and the DG of the Campaign Council and the governors, along with all our APC candidates across the country who have been doing an outstanding job mobilizing Nigerians”.
The meeting, which began at 2:35 p.m., was convened at the request of the chairman to discuss the party’s preparedness for Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly Elections in light of the deteriorating scarcity of the Naira and the lingering fuel shortage, which have fueled widespread discontent in the country.
Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), and Yahaya Bello (Kaduna) attended the meeting (Kogi).
Others are Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa).
The deputies of governors Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) were sent.
To approximately 5:15 p.m., Tinubu came at the meeting.
A source present at the meeting reported that the APC chairman, Adamu, was concerned about the perceived rivalry between some governors and President Buhari over the controversial policy.
Adamu informed the governors that their outbursts cast a negative light on the party and urged them against using the media.
“However, one of the governors also remarked that if the party had taken a stance on the issue beforehand, the governors may not have gone public. “He grumbled that the meeting started too late,” a source explained.
While declaring the meeting open, Adamu congratulated the governors for their prompt attendance.
He stated, “I am pleased with the response thus far, and I believe that more of our members are on their way.” You are aware of the recent events that necessitated this invitation.
“We do not wish to pass judgment on anyone over the current state of the nation and how it impacts our great party.”
“I figured the best course of action would be to bring together all those who are holding forth in their individual positions and who were elected on the party’s platform so that we may gain a better knowledge of the situation.
“This is the crux of the invitation. And it is my real pleasure to welcome you to this conversation.”