The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, has frowned at the call by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, should not review its deadline for the extension of the new naira notes.
AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima said Atiku stands alone in his call that the CBN should not review its deadline for the extension of the new naira note swap.
Following the backlash that greeted the policy, Atiku had urged the CBN not to succumb to blackmail by extending the deadline for the naira swap.
Reacting, Shettima said it would be suicidal for the CBN to consider Atiku’s advice not to extend the deadline.
In a statement, Shettima said for the CBN’s policy to succeed, it needs to have a human face.
He said: “Our attention has been drawn to viral news in which PDP presidential flagbearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar turned against the calls for CBN to extend the deadline for its cash swap policy. We feel duty-bound to call the former VP to order on his politically-motivated stance.
“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.
“The AYCF wishes to state that it will be suicidal for this nation to consider Atiku’s advice against a review of the CBN cash-swap deadline, because for any policy to succeed, it must have a human face and we believe CBN Governor, Emefiele won’t turn against the overwhelming public interest, like Atiku has just done.
“The AYCF is therefore warning the ex-VP not to turn this policy into a weapon of political manipulation or political attention-seeking opportunity.”
AYCF charged the PDP flagbearer to focus on telling Nigerians things he has done to merit their votes rather than play politics with the country’s economic policies