Buhari Meets Emefiele, Tambuwal, Bagudu Over Naira Scarcity

President Muhammadu Buhari has met privately with the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal; and the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu over the scarcity of the three naira notes.

Also in attendance at the meeting was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa; as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor.

The meeting held at the President’s office at the State House, Abuja.

The meeting originally scheduled with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum was cancelled, for reasons not clearly stated.

The presence of the CBN governor, however, gave indications that the meeting was organised ostensibly to discuss the cash swap policy which has for days elicited public outcry, particularly from the governors.

It would be recalled that the President had on February 3 met with the Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some of the governors had asked that the President intervene to allow both the old and new notes co-circulate to ease cash crunch recorded across the country.

The President was said to have cancelled it in view of the court order forbidding government from extending the February 10, 2023 deadline for the swapping of three old naira notes.

Sources within the Presidency also affirmed that the President was wary about the possible perception of disregard for lawful orders.

None of the participants at the meeting agreed to speak to the media.