Just In: Allow Old, New Naira Notes Co-exist, APC Govs Beg Buhari, Says Only N300b New Notes Printed

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors on Friday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow both the old and new naira notes to co-exist as the new notes have been insufficient.

The governors made the plea in a closed-door meeting held at the presidential villa.

The governors said allowing the old and new notes to simultaneously be used as medium of exchange would ease the suffering of Nigerians.

Speaking after the meeting on behalf of the governors, Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor said the governors conveyed their request to the president during the meeting.

According to El-Rufai, Buhari was yet to make any statement on the decision he would take.

Flanked by his counterpart from Kano, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Governor told State House Reporters that the CBN mopped up over N2 trillion of the old notes from circulation but printed only N300 billion worth of new notes.

The governors argued that if the CBN wanted to implement the cashless policy, it should have printed at least half the old notes to ease the stress of accessing the notes.

According to the governor, the APC governors informed the president of the hardship being faced by Nigerians and the losses by traders across the country.

El-Rufai further revealed that to ensure the president accede to their demand, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum was detailed to meet with the president privately in order to convince him.