From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa, Dr. Umar Ardo has accused the federal government of deliberately axphyxsiating Nigeria’s democratic space through the naira redesign policy.
Ardo who strongly rejected the policy said it is skewed against the opposition political parties adding that if the policy is not reversed, the electoral process will lose credibility.
He cautioned the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to rescind the decision as it has caused untold hardship to Nigerians and save the country from drifting into another economic crisis.
Dr. Ardo gave the caution while addressing a press conference in Yola yesterday faulting the timing of the policy noting that Nigerians are suffering unnecessarily as a result of its negative effects.
Ardo alleged that the policy smacks of grand conspiracy and collusion between the Apex bank and the federal government which is subjecting larger Nigerians to abject poverty the more while some favoured politicians are given special considerations.
“In all honesty there is a grand conspiracy against the people of this country and the politicians with a view to favour certain group of political class.
“Most of our people at the rural areas don’t even keep their monies in the banks opting for cash and carry method of doing their businesses,” Ardo said.
He decried that the only option of transferring money through electronic means can only be used by the elites in the cities as the rural people prefer to see and use cash for their needs.
“If you can’t go to bank and access your money on time of need then the process is defeated and I think is a deliberate policy to deny the opposition parties to access money for their political engagement that would likely sweep them Out of office,” Ardo added.
But the Director Internal Audit department of the CBN, Mrs Lydia Alfa has assured Nigerians especially those in Adamawa that the Apex bank has provided enough cash for onward distribution to the commercial banks in the state.
Mrs Alfa made the statement at the sensitisation campaign drive for the redesigned naira notes held at Jimeta ultra-modern market and Yola South motor park respectively advising people to report to the CBN any commercial bank that refuse to dispense new naira notes at the ATM machines for disciplinary action.
