President Muhammadu Buhari has said there is no going back on the planned redesign of the N1,000, N500, and N200 bank notes.
In an interview with the NTA after meeting his Royal Majesty, King Charles III in Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday, Buhari said politicians won’t be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate voters in the 2023 general elections.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, announced the Naira redesign policy on October 26, 2022.
Buhari said, “There is no going back. My aim is to ensure that Nigerians believe that we respect them as an administration.
“So, Nigerians should vote for whoever they like from whichever political party. Nobody can mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate people in any constituency. That is what I want to go down in Nigerian history for as a leader.”
The president also said he met with King Charles III to foster Nigeria’s bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom.
He said King Charles III asked him whether he has a house in the UK or not.
“He (King Charles III) asked me whether I have a house here (in the UK), and I said no. I live alone in Nigeria. The only houses I have are those I had before I got into government, and I am not very much interested in having houses all over the place. I feel much freer when I have nothing,” the President said.
On the purpose of his visit to the King, Buhari said Nigeria is a large market, and it is wise to nurture the business relationship between the two countries.
“Firstly, we are to meet with the king in Kigali but unfortunately, the meeting was postponed. He is interested very much in Nigeria, maybe because of Nigeria’s relationship with Britain for long, our economic strength, I think we are still of great attachment to them,” he said.
Buhari said the current monarch, who was crowned king after his mother’s passing, “speaks very well of Nigeria and wants the relationship to continue and, if possible, improve.”
He said, “Most economic, Nigerian businessmen and British men want to continue to work together. Let them improve the relationship instead of allowing it to deteriorate.
The president had been on medical vacation and is expected back in the country this weekend.
