El-Rufai Dares Buhari, Insists All Old Notes Remain Legal Tender In Kaduna

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has asked Kaduna residents to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that N500 and N1000 notes are no longer legal tenders.

El-Rufai insisted that the old notes remain legal tender in Kaduna state and businesses that refuse to accept them will be sealed.

In his national broadcast early Thursday, Buhari had declared that old N500 and N1000 were no longer valid. He, however, stated that 200 Naira notes can still be used until April 10.

He had asked Nigerians to take them to the Central Bank and designated places.

But in his statewide address on Thursday night, El-Rufai said the notes remain legal tender until Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise.

El-Rufai said: “For the avoidance of doubt, all the old and new notes shall remain in use as legal tender in Kaduna State until the Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise.

“I therefore appeal to all residents of Kaduna State to continue to use the old and new notes side by side without any fear. The Kaduna State Government and its agencies shall seal any facility that refuses to accept the old notes as legal tender and prosecute the owners.

“If need be, we shall take further consequential actions according to the law. The address by the President earlier this morning limiting the legal tender status of old notes to only N200 amounts to total disregard and disobedience of the ruling of February 8th which was extended further yesterday by the Supreme Court.

“The misguided action of the Attorney-General to mislead the President into engaging in this public violation of the order of the highest court of the land shows how desperate the policy architects are to cause national chaos, by showing open contempt for the judiciary.

“The decision to recognise only N200 as legal tender till April that the President announced this morning was offered to the state governments as part of proposals for an out-of-court settlement three days ago…”