Rabiu Musa-Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria People’s Party’s presidential candidate, has pledged to reverse the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy of redesigning the naira. He made this commitment during a rally in Funtua, Katsina State, where he also promised to address the country’s security challenges and poverty issues if he is elected president in the upcoming election.
Kwankwaso stated that he would enable Nigerians to deposit their old 200, 500, and 1,000 naira notes in banks and rescind the apex bank’s policy. He claimed that implementing such a policy in a country with 133 million impoverished citizens and a fragile economic situation would only exacerbate poverty, hunger, and hardship. He also criticized the policy as being targeted at punishing poor Nigerians. In conclusion, Kwankwaso pledged to end the naira redesign policy and allow Nigerians to deposit their old naira notes in banks once he assumes office.
He stated, “We were told that 133 million Nigerians are poor but they introduced a naira redesign policy at this critical period of election. This policy has brought calamity, suffering, hunger and poverty on many poor Nigerians.
“But if you elect me as president of this country and other NNPP candidates, we agreed to end the policy and allow you to take all your old naira notes to banks for deposit and other transactions.
“We at the NNPP plan to provide Nigerians with good governance, restore peace, address insecurity and improve the economy. Nigerians, especially those in Katsina State and other Northern states, have suffered enough. We are on a rescue mission.”
In addition, Kwankwaso asserted that the NNPP possesses the requisite political capability to quell insecurity nationwide, rehabilitate the economy, and provide employment opportunities for a large number of unemployed youth in the country. He vowed to recruit more security personnel to tackle the growing security threats and revitalize the nation’s educational sector to foster meaningful development.
