Governor Dapo Abiodun has been sighted in a video distributing old naira notes to his supporters in Ogun State.
The measure is said to be his effort to win more public support for the fast-approaching general election, amidst allegations that he and other politicians had stocked up notes to induce voters.
He had, 2 days ago threatened to shut down any bank not accepting or issuing old notes to customers.
On Sunday, agents of Mr Abiodun are seen in a video sharing the old notes in envelopes branded with the governor’s picture, convincing the supporters that the notes remain legal tenders contrary to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy.
“These notes remain legal tender, the governor will come back for an enforcement if banks reject them,” his agent told supporters who tried to protest the validity of the notes.
Governor Abiodun also directed petrol stations to accept the old notes as he will seal up any station flouting his orders.
Mr Abiodun alongside his Kano, Lagos and Kaduna counterparts and several other state governors have maintained an undaunting opposition to the directive of the presidency and the CBN on the validity of old notes.
The governors have insisted that the old notes should remain legal tender until the Supreme Court makes a definitive pronouncement on the matter which was earlier adjourned to February 22.
The 10 governors who oppose the president’s directive also approached the apex court over the weekend, seeking to obtain a pronouncement that President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN’s insistence on taking the N1000 and N500 notes out of circulation violate an earlier ruling of the court ordering all parties to maintain status quo.
Political analysts are not united in their perspectives of the situation. While some see the most recent suit against the federal government and the CBN as putting democracy to test, others see it as sheer political selfishness, accusing Governor Abiodun and his colleagues of seeking a free reign of political lawlessness and electoral malpractices during the elections.
The APC governors challenging the federal government have been accused of opposing the CBN policy so as to be able to spend the cash they already have stored for the purpose of influencing the election.
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