Governor Makinde suspends his re-election campaign as protests rock Oyo State

GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has suspended his gubernatorial re-election campaign for the time being in solidarity  with the electorate who are reeling from the effects of the currency redesign crisis.

On November 23 last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched redesigned ₦‎200, ₦‎500 and ₦‎1000 banknotes, saying the naira was long overdue to wear a new look. Nigerians had been given until January 31 to hand in all old notes, after which time they will cease to be legal tender but the process has been fraught with difficulties, prompting the National Assembly to ask the CBN to extend the deadline.

Under pressure from all angles, CBN chairman Godwin Emefiele announced a new deadline is now February 10. However, the last week has been sheer hell for Nigerians as they have found it impossible to get hold of these new notes and this currency scarcity has created shortages in other areas, with petrol shortages now a chronic problem too.

At commercial banks across the country, there are chaotic scenes as customers queue for hours to get hold of these scarce banknotes. Those that manage to get hold of any money then have to spend hours queuing for fuel and to make things worse, voters who want to participate in this month's elections, when have to go and queue for hours to obtain their permanent voters cards.

In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the crisis has led to the outbreak of protests, forcing the governor to suspend his campaign in solidarity with the masses. Governor Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, said the suspension is in solidarity with the people over anti-people economy policies of the All Progressives Congress federal government.

Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, the Oyo State information commissioner, said: “As a mark of honour to citizens and residents of Oyo State, the executive governor, Seyi Makinde has directed all campaign activities of the party at all levels be suspended until further notice.”

While there is a scarcity of the new notes in banking halls across the country, bandit leader, Kachalla Baleri was filmed in an unverified video released yesterday, claiming he had enough of the new naira notes. Speaking in Hausa in the two minutes 20 seconds video clip, he claimed he had up to N10m of the new naira notes.