In his speech, Mr Umahi assured President Buhari that there will be no protest against the policy in his state.
While many of his colleagues are opposed to the implementation of the currency redesign policy of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State Tuesday declared his support for the policy.
Mr Umahi, a member of Nigeria's ruling party, APC, acknowledged the suffering the policy is causing many Nigerians but said he believes President Muhammadu Buhari meant well with the policy and that the challenges would be resolved soon.
"President Buhari has worked so much for this country, he is a man with a clean heart. He is a man fighting the people that are oppressing the masses and I want to appeal to our people to be patient with him," said Mr Umahi, who is also the chairperson of the South-East Governors Forum.
"We will support the president in the new naira redesign. In few days Nigerians will be happy with his decision," he said.
Mr Umahi's stance contradicts that of the APC governors forum (PGF) which has asked Mr Buhari to change the implementation of the policy and extend the deadline for the validity of the old naira notes to December. In fact, the governors of three APC-controlled states - Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara - have sued the federal government at the Supreme Court over the policy. Mr Buhari, however, told the APC governors that would review the situation by the 10 January deadline.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the CBN last October announced that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes would no longer be valid from 31 January due to the redesign. However, the scarcity of the new notes led to the CBN extending the deadline to 10 February. Despite the extension, the new notes are still scarce with millions of Nigerians stranded and unable to access the new notes to pay for goods and services.
The situation has led to protests in many states such as Oyo, Ogun and Akwa Ibom.
Umahi acknowledges the suffering of Nigerians
Governor Umahi, while speaking at an APC governorship campaign rally at Ugbodo, the headquarters of Ebonyi Local Government Area of the state, acknowledged that residents of his state, like their counterparts across Nigeria, were finding it difficult to access the new notes.
"We know we can't go to the banks to withdraw money, we know the money is very scarce in Ebonyi. We know that the ATMs have all dried up and we have informed Mr President and Mr President is already addressing the issue," he said.
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"Buhari is a man that loves the people, he is a man that hates to see the people suffering. I urge all the gladiators to allow him to finish the good work that God called him to do in Nigeria."
In his speech, Mr Umahi assured President Buhari that there will be no protest against the policy in his state.
He urged Nigerians to be patient with the president adding that in a few days, the suffering and hardship witnessed by the people will be resolved.
Ebonyi Governorship
Mr Umahi, who is rounding off his second and last term as Ebonyi governor, campaigned for the APC candidate, Francis Nwifuru.
He accused the opposition parties in the state of recruiting members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN) to attack members of the APC in the state.
"For those recruiting thugs, I am warning you for the last time," he said. "For those using official security and those sewing clothes as policemen and to give them guns to attack us, we have infiltrated your camps, we know them, we will bring them out and make sure they face the law."
He also accused the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Bernard Odoh, of tarnishing his name.
He said rather than engage in writing petitions and using propaganda against the ruling party, they should concentrate on campaign rallies.
He, however, assured the opposition parties that he will grant them access to government facilities for their campaign.
