The Arewa Democratic Movement (ADM) has called for the arrest of Governor of Kaduna State, Makam Nasir El-Rufai and charge him for treason over his statement that countered President Muhammadu Buhari on the new and old naira notes monetary policy.
He urged Buhari to declare an emergency in Kaduna State in order to prevent a breakdown in law and order.
Comrade Ali Musa Nasir, the group’s coordinator, stated this in a statement issued over the weekend in Kaduna in response to comments attributed to the state governor urging residents to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s nationwide ban on the use of old N1000 and N500 notes.
The governor recently directed residents of the state to collect the old notes as legal tender, threatening to sanction any individual or corporate organisation that refuses to accept them.
El-Rufa’i also issued a special broadcast to the people of the state in response to President Buhari’s special broadcast to the nation on Thursday, describing the situation as treasonous and a recipe for chaos.
In a statement issued in response to the development, ADM stated that the Kaduna governor’s action was illegal, and that only the federal government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has the sole right and responsibility to formulate monetary policies for the country.
The governor, according to the group, usurped the functions of the federal government through his actions and utterances, and the development portends security threats to the country if not addressed by the central government.
He said: “It is unfortunate that both Governor el-Rufa’i and others are allowing themselves to be used by some unscrupulous elements to cause chaos in the country through their actions and utterances in order frustrate the incoming general elections. We initially thought they would back down on their argument and agitations but recent events have proved us all wrong.
“There seems to be more to this than meet the eyes because their calls are capable of generating tension in the country as there would now appear to be two authorities regulating currency management. This is a recipe for chaos,” Nasir said.
