Polls: Spokespersons of Banks speak on reported planned closure

The Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks has reacted to the report of the planned shut down of all banking activities, including internet banking, over the weekend for the country’s general election.

Some reports had it that banks have been directed to shut down all transaction platforms beginning from Friday.

According to the reports, this was one of the ways by which the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari wants to use to curb vote buying in the general election.

While the Presidential and National Assembly polls have been scheduled for February 25, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the electoral body has fixed March 11, 2023 for the Governorship and States Houses of Assembly elections.

Reacting in a statement by its President, Rasheed Bolarinwa, to the reported plan to shut down banking activities, ACAMB said: “The attention of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB), the umbrella body of Corporate and Marketing Communications Professionals working in Nigeria’s banking sector, has been drawn to the trending social media message purporting that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was shutting down banking services for five days from Thursday, 23rd to Monday 27th February 2023 because of the general elections holding in Nigeria over next two weekends.

“ACAMB hereby wishes to debunk the fake news in its entirety and wishes to assure Nigerians and the banking public that there is no iota of truth in the viral message that is being circulated. Up until this moment, no Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) or other institutions providing financial services have received any directive or communication from the CBN to close the doors of their physical banking halls or shut their digital platforms and online banking channels against their customers because of elections.

“ACAMB further wishes to assure customers that their respective banks have put in place measures to ensure that depositors can as usual, access money in their accounts during this period.

“Also, customers who wish to carry out transfers or use electronic banking services will have unhindered access to these services before, during, and after the elections.  

“ACAMB urges Nigerians not to panic and to also avoid uncontrolled spending as a result of the fake news about the alleged plan to shut down bank branches and all digital banking channels.  

“Members of the public should discountenance the trending message maliciously concocted by its faceless authors to cause disaffection among the citizenry and the DMBs.

“ACAMB calls on Nigerians to be peaceful and orderly during the elections and wishes the nation successful conduct of free, fair, and credible elections.”