Why I’ll jail any govt official spending foreign currency in Nigeria —Peter Obi

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A former Anambra State governor and presidential aspirant on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to jail any serving government official spending dollar in Nigeria should be become president in 2023.

Peter Obi, who said this during a radio programme, The Discourse, on Classic FM, condemned the debasement and neglect of Nigeria’s currency in preference for foreign currencies, especially the U.S dollar, by Nigerian politicians.

The presidential hopeful stressed his plan to make Nigeria work, adding that it was an abomination for any government official to spend another country’s currency in their own country.

He mentioned currency as one of the greatest measures of a country’s economic performance deserving of honour.

He noted: “I am not desperate to be the president of Nigeria. I’m rather desperate to see the country progress. Manufacturers, business people and others don’t have dollars for critical goods. And our politicians are spending and sharing dollars.

“One of the critical measures of a country’s economic stability is its currency. It’s a taboo that somebody serving in government is spending another country’s currency in his country.

“If I am president today, no serving government official will spend dollars, they will go to jail. We have our currency. It’s our country. We should be proud of it”, he said.