From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

All Progressive Congress (APC) governors have thrown their weight behind the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new cash withdrawal restrictions policy notwithstanding the criticism it has drawn from politicians and some business professionals.

The governors contend that the strategy is good and will support the growth of the country’s economy.

Asked why governors were yet to make their position known on the new policy, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari told reporters after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in his hometown in Daura, Saturday, said, “what is wrong with it except one who stockpiles millions in his house and is afraid to bring it.”

He added, “It will help the economy. Now, all the money has not been in the banking sector. The central bank governor said that they have mopped over N1 trillion into the banking sector which was starched in soak-ways and other places.

“We believe by the end of the transition to the new currency, the remaining trillion will be back in the banking sector. I think it is very good for the economy,” he said.

On the purpose of the visit, he said: “When you have a president visiting your state, you need to come and see how well he has been since his arrival. So fundamentally that is what brought me here and also to find how he is coping with his two or three days holiday here in his hometown in Daura, Katsina state. So it’s essentially a private visit.”

Asked what would Nigerians expect from Katsina in the 2023 elections, he said APC will have more votes than ever because they have worked and empowered the people.

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“Well, I think we should expect more votes for APC here in Katsina state. APC has performed well at the national, state and local government.

“We have done well in Katsina state, we have been able to touch the lives of millions of people in Katsina state, we have been able to have a presence in all the 361 wards of Katsina state and the social intervention has cut across and in Daura.

“You have seen the federal government’s presence in terms of the federal university, in terms of zonal hospital, in terms of federal polytechnic and many projects of urban renewal, urban development here in Daura and the surrounding communities.

“So APC has delivered in Katsina state and certainly come to the 2023 election, Katsina State will be for APC,” he assured.

Masari further affirmed that the security situation in the state has improved, saying, “We are making considerable progress.”

“The president has given marching orders for security agencies and we at the state government level have been providing all the logistics needed as much as we can to the members of the security agencies.

“So from the report I have last week, there was a drastic drop in terms of kidnapping and cattle rustling. Luckily enough, what we are having now is mainly kidnapping and some rustling of animals. We don’t have the kind of bandits attacks we use to have. So we are progressing but we are seeing some remnants, they are not Boko Haram but some Islamists from other West African countries in one or two local governments and we are dealing with the situation,” he explained.