TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says the stance of Atiku Abubakar on the deadline for the old naira note validity, makes him Nigeria’s “public enemy number one”.

On Thursday, the former vice-president had asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to extend the February 10 deadline for the exchange of old naira notes with new ones.

Abubakar said “election riggers” are seeking to push the CBN to extend till after the elections so they could achieve their “evil plots”.

In a statement on Friday, Bayo Onanuga, the council’s media director, expressed dismay over the call by Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the deadline for the old naira notes.

“We are currently at a loss to understand what informed the current call of Atiku on CBN not to extend the February 10 deadline despite the unmitigated hardship still being faced by many Nigerians who could not meet their basic daily needs as a result of lack of cash from banks and the empty ATM machines,” Onanuga said.

“Anyone who lives in Nigeria and not Dubai and visits banks and ATM locations will feel sad that the CBN is making our people suffer for its badly timed Naira swap policy.

“The bank’s latest fire brigade approach in approving payment of N20,000 at the counter is far from offering relief as queues are still long, agony and frustrations widening, an invitation to riots.

“This is a man who wants to be President and does not mind even if he presides over the graves of Nigerians as long as his inordinate ambition materialises in line with the prophecy of his marabouts.

“It is crystal clear to every Nigerian of conscience now that Atiku Abubakar and PDP do not mean well for our country. PDP and Atiku have become desperadoes who will wish calamity on the country as long as it makes them win an election they are destined to lose, spectacularly.

“Atiku is now public enemy number one in Nigeria. He is evil personified and must be rejected at the polls on 25 February.”