El-Rufai Slams Buhari’s Directive on Old N200, Insists on Legal Tender Status of Old Notes

In a public address on Thursday, February 16, 2023, Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, criticized President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on old N200 notes, insisting that old N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender in Nigeria.

El-Rufai emphasized that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled that old notes will always be legal tender, and no deadline can render them worthless.

He assured the people of Kaduna State that his government, in collaboration with elected legislators, traditional institutions, local government councils, markets, and traders associations, will help them collect and deliver their old notes to the Kaduna branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and that new notes will be delivered to their various locations without any hardship or expense on their part.

The Kaduna State Governor also cautioned the people against falling for the antics of the enemies of Nigeria and urged them to exercise resilience in the face of open provocation and deliberate disinformation.

He encouraged them to be ready with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote massively for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates in all the upcoming elections.

El-Rufai expressed his concern about the terrible consequences of the currency redesign policy and the need to protect the people’s hard-earned money, their ability to engage in trade and exchange, and buy what they need.

He called on the people of Kaduna State to remain peaceful and vigilant in the face of brazen attempts to engineer crisis in order to get a pretext for unconstitutional or undemocratic actions.

The Kaduna State Governor concluded his address by conveying the greetings, empathy, and words of encouragement of the APC’s Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the people of Kaduna State. He urged them to remain patient, pray for their country, and remain vigilant in their pursuit of Renewed Hope.

El-Rufai’s address comes amidst a nationwide confusion over the legality of old banknotes following President Buhari’s recent directive on the phasing out of old N200 notes.

The Kaduna State Governor’s stance on the issue highlights the ongoing debate and lack of clarity surrounding the status of old banknotes in Nigeria.