In Kaduna, El-Rufai has stated that old notes are still valid legal tender.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has issued a statement asking Kaduna residents to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that old N500 and N1000 notes are no longer valid legal tender in Nigeria. El-Rufai, in a statewide address, insisted that the old notes remain legal tender in Kaduna State, and any business or organization that refuses to accept them will face closure by the Kaduna State Government.

In his national broadcast earlier on Thursday, February 16, President Buhari declared that old N500 and N1000 notes were no longer valid and should be taken to designated locations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria. However, El-Rufai has stated that the notes remain legal tender until the Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise.

El-Rufai went on to say that he is appealing to all residents of Kaduna State to continue to use the old and new notes side by side without any fear. He emphasized that any business or facility that refuses to accept the old notes as legal tender will face closure and the owners will be prosecuted according to the law.

El-Rufai accused the Attorney-General of misleading the President and causing national chaos by openly disregarding and showing contempt for the judiciary. He also rejected the President’s proposal to recognize only N200 as legal tender until April, arguing that circulating only N200 will not alleviate the suffering that people are experiencing daily.

Furthermore, El-Rufai stated that all components of the Supreme Court order should be complied with, and that he and his government reject any offer that contradicts the court’s ruling. He believes that the misguided action of the Attorney-General in misleading the President into engaging in this public violation of the court’s order shows how desperate the policy architects are to cause national chaos.

Governor El-Rufai reiterated that the old and new notes remain legal tender in Kaduna State until the Supreme Court of Nigeria decides otherwise. He urged all residents to continue to use the old notes and new notes side by side without any fear and warned that any business or facility that refuses to accept the old notes will be sealed and the owners prosecuted.