He added that the redesigning of the national currency and the cash withdrawal policy introduced was an economic disaster and a poisonous idea aimed at unleashing hardship on Nigerians.
A former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District and social critic, Shehu Sani, has described the Godwin Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a shrine of misery and penury.
He added that the redesigning of the national currency and the cash withdrawal policy introduced was an economic disaster and a poisonous idea aimed at unleashing hardship on Nigerians.
The senator stated this in a release while reacting to the hardship and frustration being experienced across the country in an effort to withdraw their hard earned money.
He added that Nigeria was a developing country and economic experiments must take cognizance of the economic status of the people noting that the government did not need to impoverish or punish any Nigerian in the name of catching corrupt individuals.
The statement read, "The CBN under Emefiele has become a shrine for misery and a breeding ground for penury. It has become a republic within a republic. Why didn’t the Buhari administration introduce the change of currency in 2019 and it waited until 2023 if the CBN policy is about curbing vote buying?
"Nigeria has been turned into a vast refugee camp where people queue for cash ration. Nigerians have been subjected to the multiple tragedies of struggling for money, searching for money, looking for money and scratching for money.
"Nigerians used to buy Dollars at the black market; now they are also buying Naira at the black market.
"The Ahmed Lawan-led Senate has failed to checkmate the excesses and autocracy of the CBN because the leadership is in bed with it. The House of Reps has a clear and principled position on the matter.
"The next CBN Governor must not be a politician, a puppet or a priest of poverty."