Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, appealed to Nigerians on Tuesday to remain calm and allow the Federal Government to offer solutions to the lingering fuel and new Naira note scarcity.
The scarcity of new naira notes, combined with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s short deadline, has heightened tensions in the country.
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Protests have erupted in various states and cities across the country in the last week, with many lamenting the hardships that Nigerians are facing.
Viral video clips of half-dressed customers breaking down bank gates and threatening officials have also gone viral on social media.
However, in an address to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu expressed sympathy for Nigerians, particularly the oppressed, who he said had been made to bear the brunt of the Central Bank’s new Naira policy as well as the irregular supply of petrol, which had combined to inflict avoidable pains on the masses.
He praised Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited for the fuel supply relief enjoyed in the Federal Capital Territory and urged the company to step up its efforts to bring relief to the rest of the country.
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He also urges the CBN not to be dogmatic about the deadline it has set for the transition from old Naira notes to new ones, especially given the policy’s unintended consequence of massive pain on our people.
According to him, He is distressed by reports of cash-strapped farmers being forced to sell their products at rock-bottom prices in order to avoid losing everything.
He said, “This is a challenging period in the life of our country when our people are made to stay on the line for hours to get fuel and even get their own money from the banks. I empathise with Nigerians across the country especially the poor masses who have been made to bear the brunt and pains of the CBN Naira policy and fuel scarcity the most.
“While government continues to work to solve these problems, let’s stay calm, maintain the peace and continue to shun and avoid any act capable of causing civil unrest and disharmony. What the opposition and enemies of democracy want is to create a state of national siege and tension that can disrupt the coming general elections and create an atmosphere of strife in our country.
“We must say no to them. We must be resolute and stand firm to protect our democracy by ensuring we hold our elections in a peaceful and orderly manner. I am in this race to bring renewed hope and prosperity to all Nigerians.
“There are no challenges that will be difficult for us as a people to surmount when we stand in unity of purpose. When you elect me, I will work to ensure security, economic prosperity, national unity and cohesion and we will together build a country that will be a source of joy to us all and a pride to every black person everywhere in the world.”
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