The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the extension of the deadline by the Central Bank of Nigeria to phase out old naira notes in circulation.
The former Vice President made his position on the deadline known in a video released on the social media on Saturday.
Abubakar said: “The ongoing policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign the naira notes has generated wild reactions across the country and beyond.
“This exercise is a worldwide practice and not anything new, especially as the January 31 deadline draws closer, a large number of Nigerians out of good conscience have expressed apprehension about how the policy and the deadline will make life more difficult for Nigerians.
“Many Nigerians, especially farmers, artisans and those in the rural areas do not have bank accounts, so the time frame for the change of old notes to new one is not achievable.
“On this note, I am compelled to align with the upsurge of demands for a slight extension of the monetary conversion policy.
“The January 31 deadline is certainly going to cause a heavy discomfort on our people and it will be magnanimous on the part of the government and the regulatory agency to ease the burden on the people for the public interest.”
