February 17, (THEWILL) – The Vice Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said the directive by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to residents in the State to defy the monetary policy of the government and continue to spend the old bank notes was close to treason.
Baba-Ahmed’s remarks followed the directive issued by El-Rufai to residents in Kaduna, to continue to use the old N500 and N1,000 notes, contrary to the new monetary policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
President Buhari had in his State of the Nation address on Thursday, insisted that the N500 and N1000 notes remained phased out.
However, Baba-Ahmed wondered “why would you as the Commander-in-Chief give an executive order and it is clearly constitutional and a State Governor would say you should continue exchanging those currencies?
“This is to say there are two authorities. Why President Buhari is silent about this is best known to him.
“Immunity does not mean that the offence has not been committed.
“These are the States (kicking against the naira swap policy) that contributed about the largest votes for Buhari – Kano, Kaduna – but these are states at the forefront of fighting Buhari’s Government because of currency.
“These are State Governments, who have not fought over failure to secure Nigerians. Their States have become so insecure.
“They didn’t challenge Buhari when the naira fell from N200 to N750.
“It is with this drama in the election that they are challenging him to the extent of giving counter orders…You know, treason. It is close to treason; lawyers will tell you that better.”
The LP vice-presidential candidate, however, noted that “It was very strange that the Attorney-General of the Federation allowed Mr President to proceed with yesterday’s national broadcast.
“It was unfortunate. The least I know is that when a competent court of jurisdiction, for that matter, the Supreme Court, is addressing an issue, all parties stay in action.
“However, I have submitted in the second paragraph that we are more than bewildered by the poor quality of leadership in Nigeria. That is the only way I can explain this phenomenon.
“The supreme court has adjourned ruling and a Commander-in-Chief goes and takes another action. This is classic, poor, quality leadership.”
