A former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomole has alleged that the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, deceived President Muhammadu Buhari into approving the naira redesign policy.
He said Mr Emefiele took advantage of the president’s zero tolerance for corruption and commitment to leaving a legacy of free and fair elections to convince him to get approval for the policy.
The former Edo state governor made the claim while speaking on a Channels Television current affairs programme Sunday Politics.
He said, “CBN’s naira redesign policy is senseless. CBN deceived Buhari, and the intention behind it was to stop the elections.
“Having worked as a chairman [of APC] which enabled me to work directly with the president, I know the trick that the CBN played.
“We have a president who has told the world that if Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. So, I can guess that in obtaining the approval that the president said he gave, I believe the CBN deceived the president by amplifying the need to have a corruption-free electioneering as if election is the only project which the president has the responsibility for.
“I am shocked that the CBN could pursue this senseless policy. It is not about the idea of changing currency, this governor has broken no new ground because we have changed currency before and I dare him to check the records.
“When General Buhari changed the colours of the naira in his first coming as the military head of state, he did not forbid the banks from paying people in new notes, he did not impose restriction as to how much you can withdraw provided it is your lawful money.
“To assume that every Nigerian is corrupt… and that this policy is meant to check corruption, the CBN is not part of institutions charged with the responsibility of ensuring free, fair and credible election.”
While justifying the allegations by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that some forces working against the victory of the APC orchestrated the policy, Mr Oshiomole maintained that the currency redesign was intended to scuttle the general elections slated for February 25 and March 11.
“I think what El-Rufai is saying is when you have a pocket of riots and protests here and there, you may end up with the situation where you are unable to conduct an election,” Mr Oshiomole added.
