The presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Engr. Yabagi Sani, has alleged that the Naira redesign policy was introduced to prevent the 2023 elections from holding.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had in October 2022 announced the plan to redesign the N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes, and asked Nigerians to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023, when they would cease to be legal tender.
Although the deadline had been shifted to February 10, 2023, many Nigerians have found it difficult to obtain the new Naira notes.
Speaking on Tuesday during a Channels Television’s political programme, “The 2023 Verdict”, Sani said only an enemy of the state would introduce the policy and conclude it within a short period of time.
The ADP presidential candidate said the CBN should have distributed enough new Naira notes to commercial banks before the introduction of the policy.
“It is only the enemies of the state that will introduce this kind of thing so that elections will not take place or when it takes place, it takes place under a situation that you can’t guarantee free, fair and credible election.
“I don’t know which country changes her currency within two weeks. In other climes, you allow the thing to go on and seamlessly, people are not taken into any difficulties. This is completely bad, the timing and everything you want to talk about it.
“You don’t dislocate their businesses when they are battling with poverty, insecurity and you now come and add this draconian law that has no meaning in terms of what you want to achieve,” Engr. Sani stated.
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