The Governor of Delta and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa, has appealed to citizens of the state and Nigerians to remain calm amidst the scarcity of the new naira notes in the country.
Okowa’s appeal comes on the heels of protests by some citizens of the state in Orhuwhorun Community in Udu Local Government Area of the state where a bank’s ATM was reportedly torched.
The governor’s appeal was contained in a statement issued in Asaba by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu.
He called on the people to remain calm while also appealing to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the monetary authorities to take further steps in increasing the money supply in the system.
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There was tension in Delta when angry residents took to the street and major roads over the hardship in the country.
To vent, the angry mob set a bank ablaze on Udu express junction, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. They also destroyed some campaign billboards.
According to a resident identified as Martins Alala, the scarcity of the newly-redesigned naira notes and rejection of the old notes as legal tender triggered the protest.
He said, “We are citizens protesting the scarcity of the new naira notes and the rejection of the old naira notes. We are trapped in a cash dilemma.
“We are saying here now that ‘No money, No Election’. We are destroying every election billboard here now, we don’t want to see any politician here, all of them are same.
“As I am talking to you now Access bank, First Bank ATMs are on fire, we have set them ablaze and we are also targeting Ecobank at DSC. All the banks must feel what they are doing to us. We have money but we can’t see it to use both old and new naira notes none is available.”
Meanwhile, the police have mounted roadblocks around the DSC Town with the intention of stopping angry protesters from setting ablaze any government property.
