Stop playing politics with Nigerians’ pains, Arewa youths tell Atiku

On Saturday, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) urged Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop using the suffering that Nigerians are currently experiencing as a result of the new Naira policy and the difficulties in using the new notes for political purposes.

In a statement released on Saturday in Lagos, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the National President of the AYCF, expressed disapproval of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, for his remark regarding the new Naira policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The campaign office of Abubakar, on Wednesday in a statement, advised the CBN not to extend the Feb. 10 deadline for the exchange of old naira notes with new ones.

The former vice-president had said any further extension would destroy the purpose and objective of the policy.

The deadline for the validity of old naira notes was initially Jan. 31.

However, due to the uproar it caused because Nigerians were unable to access the new notes, it was postponed until February 10.

Meanwhile, Shettima said that it was wrong for the PDP to oppose the opinion of many Nigerians, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, National Assembly and others, in favour of further extension of the deadline on old notes by the CBN.

“Former VP Atiku’s call was out of place because it is coming on the heels of growing complaints about the kind of sabotage that is causing untold hardship to Nigerians over this policy.

“Atiku stands alone in his call on the CBN not to review the deadline.

“He is against prominent Nigerians who made passionate appeals for deadline review, notably the Sultan of Sokoto, the Senate and House of Representatives leaders and experts.

“What purpose will the current difficulties people are facing serve Atiku? Why would he rather identify with the need to let the difficulties faced by especially rural folks continue and for how long?”

Shettima said that the group was in support of extension of the deadline for the cash swap policy due to difficulties citizens were currently experiencing.