El-Rufai committed treason, incited Nigerians to disobey Buhari’s order — PDP

The presidential campaign committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai is “inciting” the people of Nigeria against President Muhammadu Buhari’s order on old naira notes. 

While addressing the nation on Thursday, February 16, 2023, the president ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to extend the deadline for the acceptance of the old N200 notes to April 10, 2023.

The president also said the old N500 and N1000 notes are redeemable at the apex bank and designated areas for 60 days.

Meanwhile the Governor of Kaduna State said the old and new naira notes are legal tender in his state till the Supreme Court declares otherwise.

The highest court of Nigeria on February 8, 2023 declared that the old naira notes remain acceptable and legal tender while determining a case pushed before the court by some state governors.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reaffirmed that its order remained the same, and adjourned the case till February 22, 2023.

While granting a television interview, the spokesperson of the PDP campaign council, Daniel Bwala, said the Governor of Kaduna State committed treason by inciting the people to disobey the order given by the president on the old naira notes.

The spokesperson added that the governor was supposed to report to the supreme court instead of telling the people to disobey the order of the president.

“If you are in doubt about a decision of the court that you felt a member of your cabinet and the leader of your party have violated — the law that we know (says) that when the matter comes up at the supreme court you either get contempt proceedings against the president or you will draw the attention of the supreme court that the man has acted (up) badly,” Bwala said.

“But this is their reaction: what they claim is a violation of the court order that governor el-Rufai sat and address the people of Kaduna state and by extension the members of APC throughout the federation of Nigeria that they should disobey the orders of president Buhari who stands as the symbol of the sovereignty of the country.

“Let me tell you what treason means. Treason is defined as the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereignty of a government of a federation. That is exactly what governor el-Rufai did. He attempted to undermine the sovereignty of the government of the federation.

“The el-Rufai that is inciting Nigerians to rise against the government because the government violated orders, let me tell you, as the FCT minister, el-Rufai disobeyed all court orders and demolished houses. He disobeyed all court orders given that they should restore the staff that went on strike. He disobeyed the order of the court about the compensation of people whose land he demolished.

“As a governor, he disobeyed the court order in the conduct of the local government election at the time it was given. He disobeyed court order that restrained him from sacking teachers and civil servants in Kaduna.”