The Presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to not grant any further extension after the February 10th deadline for the naira swap.
In a statement released from his campaign office in Abuja, Atiku urged the CBN to review the measures it has put in place to ensure the seamless circulation of the new naira notes.
“The additional ten days will enable our people in rural areas and ordinary people across the country to take the naira in their possession into the banks. It will also enable the CBN to further circulate the new currency notes among banks so that people can have easy access,” the statement reads.
Atiku also encouraged the CBN to alleviate the problems being encountered by the people in exchanging their old naira notes for new ones and getting more new notes into circulation.
He suggested that the CBN consider printing more currency notes and operating on weekends to address the needs of rural dwellers and ordinary people.
However, Atiku warned the CBN to be cautious of the elite who he believes may have sinister motives for wanting a further extension of the deadline for the old naira notes.
The Former Vice President expressed his support for a cashless economy and the reduction of cash in circulation, stating that it will help to reduce the flow of illicit funds and deter the circulation of drug money and corruption.
“The anti-democratic elements who are pretending to be democrats are the ones ganging up against the CBN because of the currency redesigning and the cashless regime it seeks to enthrone,” the statement reads.
Atiku urges the CBN and the government to ignore the pressure from those trying to push for a second postponement of the deadline and to remain steadfast in the implementation of the new naira regime after the expiration of the February 10th deadline.
“The merits of the new naira policy far outweigh the little inconvenience we are experiencing. This is one policy that will benefit the country in the long term. We should not allow those selfish, parochial people with the narrow vision to derail it,” the statement concludes.
