Kaduna citizens go against El-Rufai, reject old N500, N1000 naira notes
Residents of Kaduna State have ignored the directives of Governor Nasir El-Rufai asking them to continue using the old N500 and N1,000 as legal tender to transact their businesses.
Recalled that El-Rufai in a state broadcast to the citizens of the state, described the naira redesign policy as a weapon by members of the ruling party and close allies of President Buhari bent on stopping the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, from winning the 25 February election and described it as “mindless”.
READ ALSO; El-Rufai dares Buhari, asks people to disregard president, continue using old currency
Responding to Elrufai’s directive, a bus driver, Mohammed Sani, told DAILY POST, “I cannot collect the old N500 and N1,000 notes from passengers because l cannot use the same money to buy petrol or give it to the owner of the vehicle. I only know that it is only the N200 old note that is allowed to be used as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.”
“If you go to the market, you cannot use the old notes to buy anything, neither will you accept the old notes from anybody because you cannot use it to transact any business,” he said.
A trader at the Kaduna Central Market, Alhaji Sale Musa, said that he cannot sell anything because most people do not have the money, adding, “Nobody is willing to use the old notes or accept it any longer for any business transaction.”
He said that he would not be misled by the direction of El-Rufai, who, through a broadcast to the people of the state, enjoined them to continue using the old naira notes for their business activities.
A banker, George Stephen, explained that they are not authorised to receive old naira notes of N500 and N1,000 from customers.
According to reports, the old N200 note is being used as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, while people have refused to accept the old N500 and N1,000 notes.
El-Rufai among other states governors took the federal government and the CBN to the Supreme Court urging that the deadline for the use of old notes be extended till the end of the 2023 or both old and new notes be allowed to co-exist.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court banned the federal government and CBN from phasing out the old notes.
However, President Muhammmadu Buhari in a nationwide broadcast directed the CBN to release only the old N200 naira into circulation to alleviate the sufferings of citizens making an effort to obtain the new naira notes.
Buhari said old 500 and 1000 notes will no longer be recognised as legal tenders nationwide.
Shortly after the President’s announcement, El-rufai in a state broadcast urged Kaduna residents to continue transacting business with both the old and new naira notes.
