In a dramatic volte face, Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has joined in pleading with the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow commercial banks to accept deposits of the old naira notes, just few days after offering staunch support for the both to remain resolute in carrying the monetary policy through.
On all fours with the policy, Atiku had on February 1, urged the apex bank not to extend the February 10 deadline for ending the lives of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes, saying: “I am totally in support of building a cashless economy and reducing the amount of cash in our economy.”
On the other hand, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, his All Progressives Congress (APC), opponent, who seems to believe that the policy was targetted at him, has been crying out and kicked against it.
The former Governor of Lagos State, had during an outing in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on January 26, said: “They have started coming up with the issue of ‘no fuel’. Don’t worry, if there is no fuel, we will trek to cast the vote. If you like, increase the price of fuel, hide the fuel or change the ink on the naira notes, we will win the election. We will use our PVCs (permanent voter cards) to take over the government from them.
“If they like, let them say there is no fuel, we will trek there. They are full of mischief, they want to create a fuel crisis, they have started creating a fuel crisis, but, forget about it, put your mind at rest, I’m assuring you. I, Asiwaju will end fuel scarcity.
“Let the price of fuel continue to increase, they are the ones that know where they are hoarding it. They are hoarding naira notes, they are hoarding fuel, we will vote and we will win. If you like, change the ink in the naira note, we will win the election, the oppositi
On Sunday, however, Atiku, pleading urgency over the matter, he said, would ease the suffering of the masses in getting access to their “legitimately earned money,” 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.”
Using his Twitter handle, the former Vice President, added: “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.”