Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, says President Muhammadu Buhari was not properly advised on the naira redesign programme in his broadcast to the nation after order of the Supreme Court.
Keyamo, who is also a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, said this during a live interview on Channels Television on Friday.
He said that Buhari was given the incorrect advice to ignore the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the legality of the old naira notes.
He stated that nobody should be above the law and that Buhari’s actions were in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The President had approved the continued use of the old 200 naira note as legal tender until April 10 in his national broadcast but outlaw using old N1000 and N500 notes.
The president announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria will reintroduce the old 200 naira notes into circulation.
This goes against a previous Supreme Court order that all old notes to continue to be legal money until a final ruling in the case.
Keyamo said he was not among those who advised Buhari on the matter.
He however added that if he was to advise he would have told the President to fully abide by the Supreme Court’s order and permit the old naira notes to continue in use past February 10 while the case is being finally decided by the high court.
He said, “If I were to advise him (President Buhari), I would have advised differently. I did not advise him, it’s not my responsibility, I don’t know who.”