By Lateef Adegbite
Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, and Presidential Candidate of the ruling Progressive Congress, APC, for the 2023, general elections appears unhappy and no longer finding it funny with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under the close watch of Godwin Emefiele, implementation of the new Monetary policy that has to do with redesigning of the N200, N500, N1000, Notes and naira swap.
Femi Fani – Kayode, a former minister of Aviation, during former Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration and a political ally of the APC, Presidential Flag bearer , may have spoken the mind of the APC, Candidate , when he said that Emefiele has a ‘’hidden agenda’’ by coming out with Such monetary policy now.
The former minister who could not hide his feelings had said that that the CBN, monetary policies are ‘’questionable’’, noting that ‘’it is an attempt to create chaos in the country for everybody and pave the way for something that is completely different’’.
He has made Nigerians to understand that ‘’some members of the APC, are working for Atiku, the PDP, Candidate, for the 2023, general elections, and other’’, weak Candidates , describing the situation as ’disturbing’ ostensibly ‘’to crate obstacles on the party path to make sure that this transition does not go on smoothly’’
Many see Fani-Kayode’s emotional outburst that ‘’there are certain powers backing the apex bank governor to do what he is doing’’ as an indictment on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration because the Delta state born, CBN, governor, described as a ‘’glorified cashier of the government’’ by Senator Ali Ndume, is a political appointee of the President and cannot implement any monetary policy without the approval of the Nigerian President.
The former minister of Aviation may have realised the implication of his Statement that he had reversed himself that he was not ‘’against the policy itself but the timing of the policy’’He may not have been happy that the CBN, governor had embarked on the redesigning of the three big naira Notes: N200, N500 and N1000, in an election year in the country, when money should be flowing. .He had alluded to the fact that ‘’people are going through hell’’ and that ‘’people can hardly achieve anything’’ now.
Given that the CBN , governor is not shaking in the implementation of the new Monetary Policy, which the erstwhile minister had had said is affecting the political class, Nasir El-rufai, a former minister of FCT, during Obasanjo’s regime and now governor of Kaduna state under the siege of the Bandits Group, over the last seven years, may have corroborated Fani- Kayode Statement that admitted that the timing of the implementation new monetary policy leaves the APC vulnerable ahead of the 2023, general elections
He had declared that ‘’ there are elements within the Aso Rock Villa want the APC, to lose the upcoming, February 25, 2023, Presidential elections , because their Candidate did not merge as the party Flag bearer for the general elections in the last June Primary of the party after spending N100 million to collect Nomination form and traversing the nooks and crannies of the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT,to meet the party delegates but still lost to Tinubu, who had emerged as the party Candidate.
Recall that Fani-Kayode had said that the aggrieved party members are APC are working against Tinubu to lose the elections, and are ‘’hiding under the Nigerian President’s desire that what he is doing is right’’, insisting that ‘’it doesn’t make any political or economic sense have come out with such a monetary policy now.
Aisha Buhari, the First Lady, may not have been happy that such a Statement could come out from the mouth of the Kaduna state governor , that she was said to have shared a video of the governor saying that there are elements in the Aso Villa that are working against the APC and its Presidential Candidate, Tinubu ahead of the February 25, 2023, poll’’ for the President to watch and make up his mind on the next line of action .
The Kaduna state governor may have shot himself on the leg when he said that there was nothing wrong with the redesigned naira Notes. He had said that what the Buhari government had done in the recent time was not different from what he did in 1985, after taking over power on December 31, 1983. He recalled that as the then Nigerian Head of State, he had secretly changed the Nigerian currency with a view to catching those that had stashed away illicit funds.
Appearing on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, February, 1, 2023, El-Rufai, who could not hide his feelings had said that besides the current naira redesign and cash swap policy of the government being implemented by the CBN, the removal of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popular, Petrol , subsidy , has not helped matters , as it has made the hardship in the country worse
Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, who could not take the allegations from the Kaduna state governor had said that the CBN, implementation of the new monetary policy is not unexpected because the President had repeatedly made it clear to the party Leadership that his Administration will only focus on ensuring a ‘’free, fair and credible elections and not favour anyone to be at advantage.
He had said that ‘’if there is anyone officially working against Tibubu , the party Presidential Candidate or any other Candidate, jostling to take over from Buhari, after the 2023, general elections, it is not officially known.
For the Tinubu political allies lamenting that there is hardship in the country because he did have the opportunity to swap the millions of naira Notes he has stashed in his house to prosecute the 2023 Presidential elections, may have informed why Hajia Zainab Ahmed, minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning had said that ‘’the naira swap is a necessary pain for Nigeria’s economy to burgeon’’.
The Finance minister had said that, though Buhari is not happy over the hardship Nigerians are currently facing but ‘’likened the situation to a wound that needs to be addressed’’. She may have given it back to Tinubu political allies when she stated that ‘’the new monetary policy is timely and required to curb Corruption’’, stressing that ‘’there have been positive sides to the monetary policy’’. She had cited the huge mop-up of idle funds in People’s Vaults built in their homes.
Aware of the hardship in the country, Emefiele, the CBN, has assured Nigerians of the availability of newly-designed naira Notes soon. The apex Bank governor says the apex Bank is working with stakeholders ‘’ to address the hallenge’’, stressing that that the CBN is committed to ensuring that the new naira Notes reach the hands of Nigerians as soon as possible.
Atiku, the Opposition PDP, Candidate, for the 2023, Presidential elections may have hit hard at Tinubu, the APC,Candidate, when the asked the CBN, not to consider postponing old naira Note regime after the expiration of the February 10, 2023, deadline, noting that ‘’election riggers are the one seeking to push the CBN, to extend it till after February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023, general elections in order to achieve their aim of buying votes.
Political analysts believe that Tinubu, the APC, Candidate, may have played into Buhari’s hand when he said that he was ready to fight dirty to win the 2023, presidency. The President may have laughed at him, because he believes that no member of the political class has the powers to make mockery of his Transition programme without paying for it.
As a prelude to ensuring that the conduct of the elections in the south west states of Lagos and Ogun, are free and fair, there are indications that Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police,IGP, may likely redeploy some Commissioners in the two south western states, to create a level playing ground for the 19, Political Parties Presidential Candidates for the February 25, 2023, polls.
