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Naira scarcity: I didn’t give govs order to reject Buhari’s directive — Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has denied directing governors to ignore President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on the scarcity of old naira notes in the country.

An online news platform (Not The Star) had reported that Tinubu ordered the state governors to reject President Buhari’s directive and enforce the ruling of the Supreme Court on the deadline for the validity of the old N500 and N1,000 notes.

Reacting, Tinubu, in a statement issued on Friday by the Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, described the report as fake.

Onanuga noted: “Tinubu never issued such an order. Mr Dele Alake, the APC-PCC Adviser on Media and Communications never issued such advisory on behalf of Asiwaju Tinubu.

“The message quoted by Peoples Gazette was being randomly shared on WhatsApp. Mr Alake was not the author.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has been known, since the currency swap crisis started, to call for calm as the authorities try to find out a solution to the currency crisis. He has offered a six-point suggestion to lessen the anguish our people are facing in trying to get money from the banks.

“He has also held several meetings with President Buhari, his leader over the matter.

“It is thus inconceivable and unthinkable that he would instruct APC governors to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s order on the currency matter.

“Governors who have so far declared this line of action said clearly that they were acting on the ruling of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.

“Asiwaju has had no influence in this decision. The Gazette should recant the story with immediate effect,” he said.

President Buhari had, on Thursday, said the old N200 should be used with the new notes till April 10, 2023, while the old N500 and N1,000 notes ceased to be legal tender in the country.

The Star