Tinubu claimed that the opposition was planning to use new naira scarcity and petrol shortages to prevent a free election from being held.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed also blamed opposition parties for hampering the Federal Government's attempts to mitigate the pangs caused by its cash swap policy.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in a counter-accusation against Tinubu, alleged that the former Lagos state governor was hoarding new Naira bills to inflict pain on Nigerians. Senator Douye Diri brought up another issue—that recent redesign of currency had caused Holy Ghost fire among vote-buyers (in Bayelsa State).
In a speech in Abuja, Tinubu warned that the opposition is plotting to use the petrol and naira scarcity as an excuse to cancel elections. He urged Nigerians not let this happen but instead stand united behind democracy.
“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, he said.
“I empathize 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 the 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 election 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 asked about his vision for the country, Tinubu said that he would work to create economic prosperity and national unity, which would bring joy to all Nigerians.
In the same vein, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Nigerian Information Minister, said at a news conference in Abuja that opposition parties were blocking efforts by the federal government to reduce pain caused by the cash swap policy.
Raising the visibility of court orders that sought to prevent the government from taking any further steps in its currency swap program.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is mindful of the inconveniences currently being endured by citizens as a result of fuel supply disruptions and the recent redesigning of some Naira notes.
“Government is working assiduously to restore normalcy to these critical enablers of economic activity and to take added measures, where necessary, to alleviate the pains of Nigerians.
“Recall that after his meeting with Progressives’ Governors on Friday, President Buhari urged citizens to give him a seven-day window to resolve the currency crunch that has emanated from the implementation of the Naira redesign policy.
“Unfortunately, on Monday, some opposition political parties ran to court to obtain an injunction restraining Mr President and the CBN from extending the February 10 deadline for Nigerians to exchange their old notes for new ones.
‘’The court action came after a number of opposition parties threatened to boycott the 2023 general elections if the deadline was extended.
“These curious actions by the parties concerned are clear evidence that the opposition has turned this whole issue into a political game, preferring to make Nigerians suffer more on the altar of unconscionable political gamesmanship.
“Or how else can one explain the fact that these unscrupulous opposition parties do not want any action that could reduce the pains being experienced by Nigerians?
“How else can one explain the fact that they have decided to legally hamstring Mr President, in particular, from providing any relief for Nigerians suffering from the cash crunch? It is bad politics when you put the interest of desperate political parties over and above that of Nigerians, the same Nigerians whose votes you earnestly seek.
“One thing is sure though: the desperate actions will not save these sinking political parties as voters have already seen that they are the real enemies of the people and not President Muhammadu Buhari or the All Progressive Congress, APC. And despite the antics of the opposition, rest assured, that the government is willing and able to take decisive steps to bring succour to Nigerians in the shortest possible time.
However, the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation yesterday accused Tinubu of holding onto large amounts of new naira notes in order to inflict pain on Nigerians.
The party alleged that the APC candidate was uncaring about fellow citizens and using the reissued notes to buy votes.
The spokesman for Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation said, “The campaign stands with Nigerians in calling on Tinubu and his co-travellers in the APC to end the criminal activities of intercepting and hoarding the new notes, for their vote-buying plots, not minding the excruciating hardship their sinister action is causing millions of Nigerians across the country.
“Our campaign is alarmed by the exposed plot by Tinubu Campaign and some APC Governors to secretly swap a whopping N22.5 billion in old N1,000 for new notes in Kano as well as Lagos State where they will be warehoused for vote-buying for the deflated Tinubu campaign.
“The Tinubu Campaign is desperate to mop up new Naira notes by swapping them with their ill-gotten old notes stashed away in secret vaults, because, having been rejected by Nigerians, they had relied solely on vote-buying, financial inducements and heavy bribing to compromise and derail the electoral process.
“Our campaign is disturbed by the harrowing experiences being faced by Nigerians who are at the receiving end of the Tinubu Campaign-induced cash scarcity ravaging our nation at this time.
“More disgusting is that the Tinubu Campaign has disgracefully resorted to hypocritical propaganda, shedding crocodile tears, pointing accusing fingers at others and posturing as champions of the people, when they are the real enemies of Nigerians.
“The Tinubu Campaign, in its fear of the looming failures at the February 25 polls, has turned out like a desperate ferocious wolf seeking to devour the people while at the same time trying to cloak itself in the innocent skin of sheep.
“It is, however, devastating to see Nigerians sleeping in the cold at ATM centres, assaulted by the elements of nature, fighting one another in banking halls and ATM stalls in the struggle to get some little cash just because the Tinubu Campaign and corrupt APC leaders had diverted the new notes for their selfish political reasons.
“We find it disheartening that Tinubu and his allies are taking Nigerians from APC-induced seven years of weaponized hunger to a wholesome poverty by triggering this unbearable cash scarcity that has wrecked small businesses, destabilized homes and sunk millions of Nigerians into a deeper financial abyss.”
The PDP Campaign pointed out that Nigerians have been forced to face a worse situation than the COVID-19 experience, because Tinubu is hoarding new Naira notes in order to manipulate the 2023 presidential election.
It advised Tinubu to “lift his knees from the neck of Nigerians”by stopping the hoarding of new Naira notes, so that they can circulate freely and be used by Nigerians to conduct their daily affairs.
The Atiku-Okowa Campaign, however, urged Nigerians not to be deceived by Tinubu’s plan but to remain steadfast in their determination to resist oppression and voting in Atiku Abubakar as president so that he can rebuild the country for all Nigerians.
