From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
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 on October 26, 2022, the Naira redesign policy.
Buhari said “No going back. My aim is to make sure that Nigerians believe that we respect them as an administration.
“So, Nigerians should vote for whoever they like from whichever political party. Nobody will be allowed to 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), I said no. I live in Nigeria alone, the only house I have are those I have 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 only wise for the business relationship between the two countries to be nurtured.
“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 the passing of his mother, “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 make sure that the relationship is improved instead of being allowed to go down.
President had been on medical vacation and is expected back in the country this weekend.