Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate, has requested a slight extension to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s January 31st deadline for exchanging old naira notes for new ones in commercial banks across the country.
Atiku stated that the pain caused by this action was not intended by the initiative.
The former Vice President posted a video, on Thursday, titled, “My position on the CBN January 31st deadline on the new Naria notes” on his verified social media handles to express his view on the challenges faced by Nigerians in meeting up with the deadline announced by the country’s apex bank.
While applauding the monetary conversion policy as a worldwide practice, Atiku stressed that the deadline is unfit and should be slightly adjusted.
The PDP presidential candidate said, “The ongoing policy of the CBN to redesign the naira notes has generated wide reactions across the country and beyond.
“This exercise is a worldwide practice and nothing new with it especially as the January 31st deadline draws closer.
“A great number of Nigerians out of good conscience have expressed apprehension about how the policy and the deadline will make life difficult for them.
“I’m also aware of the challenges farmers and artisans in remote areas go through in moving cash to the commercial banks for exchange.
Speaking further, Atiku said he is compelled to align his position with other Nigerians for a slight extension of the naira notes swapping.
“The deadline is going to cause heavy discomfort for Nigerians. It will be magnanimous for the Federal Government and the regulatory body to ease the burden of the people while we can continue to sensitise the public on the imperative of mobile banking policy.
“It is important for the CBN to consider an extension for the public to swap their old notes thereby reducing the financial consequences on these vulnerable citizens, I believe that such painful experience is not the intention behind the initiative, he added.