New Naira: Buhari’s Meeting With Governors cancelled

A meeting scheduled between President, Muhammadu Buhari and state governors earlier for Tuesday has been cancelled.

President Buhari was to meet the governors  to discuss, among other things, the nationwide crisis trailing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s new naira policy.

The cancelled meeting comes only four days after the President met with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress after which he appealed to Nigerians to give him seven days to resolve the crisis.

Although no reasons were given for the cancellation of Tuesday’s meeting, it has been agreed that no major decision could be taken until the end of the seven-day window given by the President last Friday.

Buhari briefly met behind closed doors with the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State; the central bank governor, Godwin Emiefele, and the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, AbdulRasheed Bawa.

Others present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.

Since the President approved an additional 10-day grace period (February 1 – 10, 2023), mixed reactions have trailed the policy which the President said is aimed at curbing money laundering, electoral malpractices, soaring inflation, amongst others.