Yakasai said: “The current situation regarding the currency exchange and fuel scarcity is rapidly deteriorating, and some individuals who lack patriotism and have greed are taking advantage of it in collaboration with some officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria to make the situation even worse.”
By Emma Ogbuehi
As the scarcity of the redesigned Naira notes bites harder, First Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, without hesitation.
In a message he sent to TheNiche Tuesday night, Alhaji Yakasai, who was a liaison officer to late President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic, said it was “irresponsible to undertake a currency exchange during this critical time when the country is preparing for general elections that will result in the replacement of key government officials at all levels.”
The message titled, “Urgent Call for Action: Appeal to President Buhari to urgently take steps to address the existing Fuel Scarcity and Currency Exchange Crisis in Nigeria,” said Buhari’s request to be given one week to take decision on the escalating Naira crisis is inappropriate.
Last week, Yakasai, who was chairman at TheNiche 2022 Annual Lecture, doubted the sincerity of President Buhari’s support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
But pushing back, the presidency called the comment “unwise,” insisting that “times are hard and the old man needs a bit of help.”
The presidency said no one should take the nonagenarian, a supporter of Tinubu, seriously.
But on Tuesday night, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), not only urged Buhari to sack the CBN Governor but also “set up a high-powered inquiry to investigate the circumstances and proprietary surrounding the currency exchange at this critical time in our history.
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Insisting that the situation appears intended to sabotage not only the Buhari government but also poses a threat to the country’s democracy and national stability, he warned that unless the President takes decisive action, the situation could lead to chaos and unrest in the country.
The statement reads:
“The President reportedly requested a delegation of some governors to give him one week to consider options for addressing the current suffering in Nigeria caused by a scarcity of fuel and currency exchange. In my opinion, this is not the appropriate decision for the President to make at this crucial moment.
“I think in the current situation, regarding the currency exchange issue, the President should dismiss the Governor of the Central Bank immediately and appoint a competent and experienced person to handle the situation effectively.
“The current situation regarding the currency exchange and fuel scarcity is rapidly deteriorating, and some individuals who lack patriotism and have greed are taking advantage of it in collaboration with some officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria to make the situation even worse. It has been widely reported in the media that these individuals are hoarding the new currency, exchanging it for the old currency at exorbitant prices and causing additional hardship for the entire population of Nigeria.
“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate action to replace Central Bank Governor Emefele and set up a high-powered inquiry to investigate the circumstances and proprietary surrounding the currency exchange at this critical time in our history.
“It is irresponsible to undertake a currency exchange during this critical time when the country is preparing for general elections that will result in the replacement of key government officials at all levels. This situation appears to be intended to sabotage not only the current government but also poses a threat to our democracy and national stability.
“The current situation calls for decisive action by the President to prevent this dangerous trend, which could lead to chaos and unrest in the country, and is not in the best interest of the nation.”