Atiku Makes U-turn On Naira Redesign Policy Few Days To Election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has made a U-turn on the Naira redesign policy and appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow commercial banks to accept deposits of the old Naira notes.

Naija News reports that since the February 10 deadline for the Naira swap policy elapsed, Atiku, who backed the currency redesign policy, advised the apex bank not to extend the deadline.

According to the former vice president, a further extension would destroy the purpose and objective of the policy.

However, Atiku seems to have shifted his stance on the Naira redesign policy, stating it is hurting Nigerians and those that legitimately earned their money.

In a post via his social media pages on Sunday, February 19, 2023, Atiku appealed to CBN to allow commercial banks to join in the collection of the deposits of old N500 and N1000 notes.

He also demanded that the new currency should be immediately made available in sufficient quantities to alleviate the suffering of the masses.

The PDP flagbearer further assured Nigerians that he would ensure no one loses his legitimately earned money as a result of the CBN policy if elected president in the forthcoming election.

He wrote: “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.

“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.”