Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), has appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow
commercial banks to accept deposits of the old naira notes.
Over two weeks ago, Atiku backed the currency redesign
policy, advising the apex bank not to extend the February 10 deadline for the
demonetisation of the old naira notes.
The former vice-president also said any further extension
would destroy the purpose and objective of the policy.
“I am totally in
support of building a cashless economy and reducing the amount of cash in our
economy,” Atiku had said.
But in a social media post on Sunday, he called on the CBN
to release the new notes as “a matter of urgency”.
This, he said, would ease the suffering of the masses in
getting access to their “legitimately earned money”.
“The CBN currency policy
is hurting ordinary citizens and those who legitimately earned their money,”
Atiku said.
“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.
“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.”
President Muhammadu Buhari recently announced the extension
of the validity of old N200 notes till April 10.
He also directed the CBN to recirculate the old N200 notes
to ease the ongoing cash crunch.
A few hours after the directive, Godwin Emefiele, the
governor of CBN, met with 15 heads of commercial banks on the matter and
assured Nigerians that the old N200 notes will be made available immediately.
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