The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has described the proposed plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign naira notes as political, noting that the move was a ploy by the All Progressives Congress-led government to sway voters ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Obaseki stated this while inaugurating the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party Women Campaign Council at the Presidential Campaign Secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Wednesday.
Lambasting the Federal Government for the move, Obaseki said the redesign of the nation’s currency shouldn’t be a priority as the majority of citizens are suffering from hunger, poverty and economic hardship.
He said, “They say we should all bring our naira and give it to them because they want to change it for us. Is that our priority now? Does changing of currency reduce the price of food in the market? They say they want to change our currency and dollar is going higher every day. We can’t even see dollars again.
“I am an economist and I can tell you categorically that this policy by the CBN and Federal Government has no basis in Nigeria’s economy. There is no reason to do this. The move is purely political as there is no urgency in changing our currency.
Credit: Punch