The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has commended the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for listening to Nigerians and extending the deadline for changing the old naira notes for new ones by ten days.
The Caucus also commended Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for intervening by persuading president Muhammadu Buhari to extend the date, saying it shows him as a compassionate leader.
It also said the ten days extension of the deadline from January 31, 2023, to February 10, 2023, was a welcome decision to ease the suffering and social and economic discomfort faced by many Nigerians in accessing the new naira notes within the earlier stipulated deadline.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, on Sunday.
Recall that the apex bank had announced extension of its previous deadline for full transition to new naira notes.
The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele announced the extension of the date by 10 days in a press statement issued on Sunday.
The new deadline, according to Emefiele, is now February 10, 2023.
However, the Minority Caucus urged the CBN to remain focused and strengthen its sensitization actions while putting every measure in place to assist Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas, to access the new naira notes.
It, therefore, called on Nigerians not to relax but to take full benefit of the ten days extension to exchange their old naira notes for new ones.
Part of the statement read: “As lawmakers and representatives of the people, our Caucus commends the CBN for being considerate towards the well being of Nigerians, which is the essence of democratic governance all over the world.
”Our Caucus applauds the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, for his intervention in persuading President Muhammadu Buhari and CBN to extend the earlier deadline in the national interest.
”His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s patriotic intervention at this time further shows him as a compassionate leader who is always concerned and committed towards the wellbeing of Nigerians. He has again demonstrated his experience, capacity, and competence to get the system to work in the interest of Nigerians at a very critical time.”
