Naira redesign introduced to prevent elections from holding, says ADP presidential candidate

Yabagi Sani, the presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), has alleged that the naira redesign policy was introduced to prevent the elections from holding.

In October 2022, Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), announced the plan to redesign the N200, N500, and N1,000 notes, and asked Nigerians to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023, when they would cease to be legal tender.

Although the deadline has been shifted to February 10, many Nigerians have found it difficult to obtain the new naira notes.

Speaking on Tuesday during a Channels Television programme, “The 2023 Verdict”, Sani said only an enemy of the state would introduce the policy within a short period of time.

The ADP candidate said the CBN should have distributed enough money 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,” Sani said.

“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.”