As part of initiatives to ease the tension the country as a result of the current scarcity of cash, the National Council of State has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to print more redesigned naira notes or allow the new and old banknotes to circulate concurrently.

However, members of the council of state expressed support for the naira redesign policy of the CBN at a meeting, held on Friday at the presidential villa, which was presided over by President Buhari.

Briefing State House Correspondents after the Council meeting, the Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar Malami, who was flanked by Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said that the Council illuminated the need for aggressive action by the CBN to ensure adequate supply of the naira in the system for proper implementation of the policy.

Echoing submissions by the Council, Governor Ishaku stated that it proffered a number of suggestions to the President, particularly on the currency swap challenge which dominated discussions, following a debriefing from the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, and expressed the hope Buhari will make a decision soon.

On the 2023 elections, Malami also expressed the Council’s satisfaction with the level of preparation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions.

The National Council of States, an organ of the Nigerian Government, is an advisory body to the executive on policy making and plays an important advice and consent role in government operations.

It consists of the President, who is the Chairman
Vice-President, who is the Deputy Chairman and all former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation.

Others include all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all the Governors of the states of the Federation, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

Former Heads of State, Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalam Abubakar as well as former president Goodluck Jonathan were present.

Governors in attendance were Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Babagana Zulum (Borno). Other governors that virtually attended were Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and the Deputy Governors Nasarawa and Bauchi states.

The Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele also attended the meeting.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu was also physically in attendance and briefed the Council on preparations ahead of polls.

All Service Chiefs and Heads of security agencies were also physically present.

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