Naira Policy: El-Rufai, Other APC Govs Desperate To Buy Votes – CNPP

The Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has accused governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being desperate to buy votes in the 2023 general elections.

CNPP made this claim while reacting to the governor’s attack on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

The group charged President Buhari to call the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai to order, for telling residents of his state that the old N500 and ₦1,000 banknotes are still legal tender contrary to pres­idential directives.

CNPP called on Nigerians to ignore El-Rufai for their own good as only CBN can issue directives on legal tender in Nigeria on orders of the Pres­ident.

The group made this call in a statement released through its Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu.

The statement reads, “Politicians who cannot win elections without vote buying are bent on stockpiling the new naira notes in their desperation to rig the 2023 general elections. This is the real reason for the cash crunch in Nigeria.

“For us, President Muham­madu Buhari would be declared a 2023 hero of democracy, and his administration’s many fail­ures forgiven, if he sees through a free, fair, and credible 2023 gen­eral elections.

“We urge Nigerians not to be deceived by the APC Gover­nors who never took the Federal Government to court over police brutality (which culminated to the #EndSARS protests), the loss of lives and property as a result of insecurity, the perenni­al fuel scarcity and many other failed policies of the APC-led Federal Government but were quick to drag the federal govern­ment to the Supreme Court for implementing its own cashless policy because of obvious vote buying agenda.

“The CNPP will continue to stand on the side of the masses on the naira redesign policy as part of the cashless policy im­plementation because of the overall benefits of the policy in the long run.

“A stable economy and bet­ter life for the average Nigeria in the future are worth the sacrifices and the temporary pains.

“Contrary to El-Rufai’s allegations that a nationwide shortage of cash was created so that citizens are incited to vote against APC candidates across the board resulting in massive losses for the Party in all the elections, the fact is that APC government scored zero over eight (0/8) in its eight years tenure and if Nigerians are voting against the party, it is not because of the cash crunch, but for inflicting sufferings and endless pains on Nigerians since 2015.

“Governor El-Rufai was speaking from his imagination when he alleged that the naira redesign policy was to ensure that the cash crunch is so seri­ous, along with the contrived and enduring fuel shortage existing since September 2022, that the 2023 Elections do not hold at all, leading to an Inter­im National Government to be led by a retired Army General.

“The CNPP had on many occasions insisted that the lingering fuel scarcity was a result of corruption and in­competence of the management team of the NNPC. So, at what point did El-Rufai realise that fuel scarcity is a result of sabotage?

“After the obvious failure to perform in eight years, the APC Governors and their col­laborators have been making allegations and insinuating that there was the scheme for a military take-over.”