Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, appealed to agitated Nigerians to remain calm as the government and relevant agencies continue to work out solutions to the lingering scarcity of fuel and naira notes in the country.
Tinubu said he sympathised with the people, especially the downtrodden, who he claimed have been made to bear the brunt of the new naira policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and irregular supply of petrol by the government.
Tinubu spoke through a statement signed on behalf of the APC presidential campaign council by Bayo Onanuga, which was released to journalists in Abuja.
He, however, commended the NNPC Limited for the fuel supply relief being enjoyed in the Federal Capital Territory and urged the company to step up its act to bring relief round the country.
The APC candidate also urged the CBN not to be dogmatic in the deadline it has fixed for the transition from old naira notes to the new ones.
He said he was distressed by the news of cash-strapped farmers having to sell their products excessively cheap to avoid losing all.
“Such dispiriting experience in the short term may be a disincentive to our hardworking farmers,” the statement quoted him to have said.
He assured Nigerians that the current challenges will soon be over and pleaded that people should avoid anything capable of causing unrest in the country even when they are justifiably angry.
The statement reads in part:
“This is a challenging period in the life of our country when our people are made to stay on the line for hours to get fuel and even get their own money from the banks.
“I empathise with Nigerians across the country especially the poor masses who have been made to bear the brunt and pains of the CBN Naira policy and fuel scarcity the most.
“While the government continues to work to solve these problems, let’s stay calm, maintain the peace and continue to shun and avoid any act capable of causing civil unrest and disharmony,” he said.
He blamed the opposition and those he called enemies of democracy, saying all they want is to create a state of national siege and tension that can disrupt the coming general elections and create an atmosphere of strife in our country.
“We must say no to them. We must be resolute and stand firm to protect our democracy by ensuring we hold our elections in a peaceful and orderly manner.
“I am in this race to bring renewed hope and prosperity to all Nigerians,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that there are no challenges that will be difficult for “us as a people to surmount when we stand in unity of purpose.
“When you elect me, I will work to ensure security, economic prosperity, national unity and cohesion and we will together build a country that will be a source of joy to us all and a pride to every black person everywhere in the world,” Tinubu said.
