Cash crisis: APC chief Lukman tells Buhari to respect Supreme court decision
In a bid to ensure the well-being of the citizenry, the national vice chairman North West of the ruling All progressives congress (APC) has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to abide by the supreme court ruling aimed at ending the cash squeeze in the polity.
Lukman in a statement titled: “Cashless Economy and Presidential Cabal” remarked that it was incumbent on President Buhari to abide by the decision of the apex court.
The Kaduna-born politician assured that the cash swap policy would not achieve the goal of APC adversaries by either creating conditions that could mobilise electorates to vote against the APC and its candidates, especially Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the poll.
He noted: “In all of these, it needs to be clearly stated that throughout the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, nothing tests his credential as a converted democrat more than the need to demonstrate more listening ears and compassion at the plight of Nigerians.
“As a converted democrat, which I believe he is, President Muhammadu Buhari, needs to demonstrate that by respecting the Supreme Court judgement and direct the CBN to end the current madness that imposes Naira scarcity in the country and untold hardship for millions of Nigerians.”
Lukman who was the former director general of the progressives governors forum (PGF) stressed the need for more extra steps to strengthen the banking system in the country to meet up of the new demands occasioned by the naira swap policy.
This, he said requires contingency measures to expand the banking system, such that citizens could exchange the old notes in locations that don’t have bank branches or cash centres such as ATMs.
He argued that for both APC, as a party, and Nigeria, as a nation, one of the lessons that the current reality imposes is the need to develop political parties and make them capable of regulating the conduct of elected functionaries.
He added: “This is not only the case with APC but also the case with all our parties. Why should we have a challenge with grave consequences on the electoral fortunes of political parties, yet none of the parties contesting the 2023 elections have convened an emergency meeting of their National Executive Committee (NEC)?
“Yet, we want elections to produce accountable leaders. Once party organs have seized to be decision-making platforms, the domineering control of government institutions by so-called cabals will remain strong.
“Moving Nigerian democracy forward requires all of us as Nigerians to be much more honest beyond some partisan permutations about winning elections. As members of APC, we are working hard to win the 2023 elections, but we also will work even harder to ensure that our next government to be led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will come with more listening ears to Nigerians and fellow party leaders.
“God willing Asiwaju Tinubu’s APC government must be a remarkable improvement on President Buhari’s government whereby party leaders will through all our organs as provided in our constitution effectively and efficiently take all necessary decisions, which would be respected by Asiwaju Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic, God willing, and all elected representatives.”
