The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to extend the withdrawal of old naira notes beyond the new February 10 deadline.
Reacting to the development via a statement by his campaign team in Abuja on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, Atiku explained why the CBN shouldn’t grant a further extension after the February 10 deadline.
According to the PDP candidate, extending the deadline would destroy the purpose and objective of initiating the redesigning of the currency.
He said:
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“There should be no further postponement of the new naira regime after the expiration of the February 10 deadline.
“The vote riggers are seeking to push the CBN to extend till after the election when they would have achieved their evil plots.
“The CBN and the Presidency should be steadfast. 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.”
Atiku however applauded the apex bank for listening to the demand of the ordinary people by granting a ten-day extension for the swapping of the old naira notes for new ones.
He further urged the apex bank not to give in to the current pressure by Nigerians for more time.
