VIDEO: Eleyi Of Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun Distributes Old Naira Notes To Residents Amid Allegations Of Hoarding Banknotes, Solicits Votes For Re-election
A video obtained by SaharaReporters captures the moment an agent of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State distributed old Naira notes to residents of the state as inducement ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The governor’s agent shared the old notes in envelopes branded with the governor’s picture to residents, convincing them to ensure they vote for his re-election.
“These notes remain legal tender, the governor is coming (for enforcement if banks reject them),” the agent told women who claimed that the banks would reject the notes from them.
Mr Abiodun, along with his counterparts in Lagos and Kaduna, as well as some other state governors, has steadfastly opposed the presidency’s and the CBN’s directive on the validity of old naira notes.
The governors have insisted that the old notes remain legal tender until the Supreme Court issues its decision on the matter.
Ten governors who oppose the president’s directive also petitioned the Supreme Court over the weekend, seeking a declaration that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s insistence on withdrawing the N1000 and N500 notes from circulation violates an earlier ruling of the court ordering all parties to maintain the status quo.
Political analysts are divided in their assessments of the situation. While some see the latest suit against President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and the CBN as a test of democracy, others see it as pure political self-interest, accusing Governor Abiodun and his colleagues of seeking a free reign of political lawlessness and electoral malpractice during the elections.
The APC governors challenging the Buhari government have been accused of opposing the CBN policy to spend the money they had hoarded to influence the election.
Last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced that it would redesign N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes, saying old notes should be swapped for new ones by January 31.
Following several appeals made by Nigerians, the deadline was moved to February 10. However, a Supreme Court ruling suspended the February 10 deadline.
A week after the Supreme Court ordered the Nigerian government to allow the continued use of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes, President Muhammadu Buhari countered that order.
In his national broadcast last Thursday, Buhari announced that the old N500 and N1000 notes had ceased to be legal tender but extended the deadline for N200 notes to April 10.
