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Former federal lawmaker and civil rights activist, Senator Shehu Sani, has criticised the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and his colleagues for criticising the naira redesign policy of Federal Government, saying they are not fighting for hardship Nigerians are facing.
The ex-lawmaker commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the cashless policy and the redesigning of banknotes, noting that the president’s broadcast to allow the use of old N200 notes is to cushion the present hardship faced by citizens.
Sani, who spoke with The Guardian in an interview, yesterday, on sudden appearance of El-Rufai to defend the use of three old naira notes, said it is political summersault to present himself as a democrat who wants to defend the course of the common man, when he subjected the people in Kaduna to agony and hardship through his policies.
He said: “Where was El-Rufai when he embarked on demolition of ordinary people’s houses, markets, shops. Where was El-Rufai when he deprived thousands of civil servants and teachers of their jobs; where was he when he subjected citizens in his state to agony and pains. He is now coming out to say he is defending the old notes to assuage hardship.”
Sani commended the cashless policy being implemented by Federal Government, saying that it will reduced incidences of vote buying as the nation conducts the general elections.
He said: “In the past, votes were being bought by politicians, who are contesting elections.”
But, this policy is making it impossible for candidates to offer financial inducement to the electorate. So, there is political tension, coupled with economic issues. All are now directed to overheating the polity.
“First, the redesigning of old naira notes and cashless policy have affected two segments of the Nigerian society. It affected the poor, for the fact that there is no proper enlightenment and provision was not made to take care of shocks and consequences of the redesigning. It has also affected the political class, especially those who have starched billion of old naira notes with the intension of using it to buy votes.
“Nigerian elections in the past have been so monitised. You saw what happened during the primaries; money was used to buy aspirants and votes to secure tickets. And they intended to use the general election to share money. This should not be allowed to continue in Nigeria. Let’s allow credible leaders to emerge.
“Today, the reactions of some of these politicians against naira redesign have shown that they have starched billions of naira to buy votes.”
