Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow the deposits of old N500 and N1000 notes in Banks.
Atiku disclosed this in a Facebook statement on Sunday, adding that the policy is hurting the lives of hurting ordinary citizens and those who legitimately earned their money.
This comes as a reversal for the former Vice-President, as he urged the CBN 2 weeks ago not to further extend its February 10 deadline for swapping the old naira notes with the newly redesigned naira notes.
Hurting Citizens: Atiku Abubakar noted that the policy is harming the daily lives of citizens, adding that commercial banks should be able to collect deposits of older notes, he said:
- “The CBN currency policy is hurting ordinary citizens and those who legitimately earned their money. The apex bank should, as a matter of urgency, allow commercial banks to join the CBN in the collection of the deposits of old N500 and N1000 notes.”
Mint new notes: He added that the CBN should make the new currency available in sufficient quantities, saying:
- “The new currency should be immediately made available in sufficient quantities to alleviate the suffering of the masses.
- “ I assure you that when we come to power by the mandate of your votes, the PDP administration will not allow any Nigerian who legitimately earned their money to lose a single kobo of it. You can take that promise to the bank because our aim is to create prosperity and not to impoverish our people.”
What you should know
Earlier this month, Atiku Abubakar urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to further extend its February 10 deadline for swapping the old naira notes with the newly redesigned naira notes.
Atiku accused people who want to engage in vote buying as well as use the money to corrupt the electoral system in the forthcoming general election of being against the cashless policy and the naira redesign.
- Atiku in the statement said, “The additional ten days will enable our people in the 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 circulate the new currency notes among banks further so that people can have easy access.”
This u turn shows that Atiku is a desperate and confused politician that has nothing to offer Nigerian and should not be trusted with power. He acted on bad advise and emotions, he has already surounded himself with sycophant.
Or it shows that he’s not as close-minded and inflexible as the Old Soldier currently in Aso Rock.