The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to obey the Supreme Court order which asked parties to maintain the status quo with regards to the naira redesign policy of the apex bank.
This was the outcome of a meeting between state governors of the party, the National Working Committee (NWC) and APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, which held on Sunday in Abuja.
The party also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervene and halt the current sufferings of the people.
Governors Nasir El-Rufai, Yahaya Bello and Bello Matawalle had earlier taken the Federal Government to court seeking an injunction to suspend the naira swap policy of the CBN which has caused untold hardships to Nigerians.
Although the apex court gave an interim order for the Federal Government to maintain the status quo and allow Nigerians to continue to use the old naira notes, its decision was completely disregarded by the government which has continued with its disruptive implementation.
In a brief interview at the end of the meeting, Adamu said; “I am sure you are quite aware of the fact that a meeting comprising of APC governors was held today (Sunday) and the leadership of the NWC of our great party was summoned for this afternoon and we had discussions and at the end of the discussions, we have resolved as follows and this resolution is without prejudice whatsoever to the case that is lying at the Supreme Court at this point in time. This has to do with the issue of currency redesign.
“We note very seriously that the programme and its implementation is causing tremendous difficulties to the people of Nigeria and to the national economy.
“That, we urge the Attorney General of the Federation and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to respect the Supreme Court order of interim injunction which is still subsisting.
“That the meeting is urging His Excellency, Mr President to intervene in resolving issues that are causing these great difficulties to the economy.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Kebbi state governor, Atiku Bagudu, said all the parties at the meeting endorsed the resolution.
He said; “We are on the same page. The APC Governors Forum, the NWC is one party. We are all together.
“The chairman said the governors and the party are one and the same and I am very proud about the conduct of our campaigns by our presidential candidate under the able leadership of our party led by Abdullahi Adamu and the D-G of the Campaign Council and the governors alongside all our APC candidates across the country who have been doing a tremendous job of mobilizing Nigerians”.
Meanwhile, seven governors did not turn up for the emergency meeting.
Those who were absent from the meeting were Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo).
Govs. Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) however sent their deputies.
Those who attended the meeting were Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).
Others are Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa).
APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu however stormed the meeting midway.