The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to extend the withdrawal of old naira notes beyond the February 10 deadline.
Atiku made the call despite the difficulties being encountered by millions of Nigerians across the country in accessing the redesigned currency notes.
In a statement on Wednesday by the Atiku-Okowa campaign organisation, the PDP candidate said extending the deadline would destroy the purpose and objective of initiating the redesigning of the currency.
Atiku said: ‘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.”