Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, an APC presidential candidate, stated on Sunday that he and his team were pleased that President Muhammadu Buhari had agreed to the request for an extension of the deadline for the old naira currency.
This was said by Tinubu during his campaign in Benin City, Edo State, when he hosted a town hall meeting with political figures, members of various social groups, and industry experts.
He explained, “We have been working on this for three to four days, so when the President unexpectedly announced today that he would be willing to consider our request for an extension out of great respect, we were delighted.
We have been doing that since I kept phoning him and switching back and forth on this.
Even though we didn’t receive all we wanted, at least we got a few extra days.
The APC president had voiced concern that the necessity to switch to the new Naira notes would have the greatest impact on “our wives” who sold garden eggs, carrots, and roasted maize.
Some of our cousins’ wives sell garden eggs, carrots, and roasted maize because they need money and Naira, the man remarked.
If the Naira is cancelled in the current state and we do not step in to stop it, we will have failed in our obligations, Tinubu continued.
He discussed his plans and urged people to vote for his party in all elections starting on February 25.
In the meantime, Tinubu praised President Muhammadu Buhari for agreeing to the extension of the deadline for the switching to the redesigned naira notes at the palace of the Oba of Benin where His Majesty, Oba Ewuare II was present along with traditional leaders from the Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.
He claimed that requests for an extension were a factor in his tardiness to the meeting.
He said that he would battle for the return of the artifacts that had been taken from the City and that, if he were to win, one of his plans would be to investigate the abundant natural resources in Edo State, notably gas, in order to export it to Europe.
He claimed, “My coming late is not intentional; it is due to the current state of national politics.
In response to Tinubu’s aspirations, he stated, “You have been a fantastic ruler; I saw you voiced your views about youth unemployment.
“Your Majesty, you can depend on me. For our young people, we will be able to secure excellent work.
“You mentioned the education of our children; it is covered in our work plan, and as I stand here, I can assure you that the program is in place and that education reform will take place.
We will set up student loans, reduce the interest rate, stagger payments, and relieve parents so they are not forced to be slaves to the situation.
Speaking of his intentions for expansion, he stated: “Benin is the economic hub of this resource- and gas-rich region.
We are developing a gas for West Africa that will be sold in Europe. If those who declared their desire for power and ruled for 16 years had given this some thought, we might now be prospering; we would be in a better position.
“The growth for Edo would have been different if Nigeria had been selling gas.
“I tell you that we will correct all of those anomalies, and Edo will be a hub for all commercial activity.”
Tinubu stated that he would support the creation of a museum to house the artifacts and would keep pressing for compensation from people who have kept them for so long.
“I’m here to ask for your prayers; I battled and suffered for this nation’s democracy and made sacrifices.
