Group smells a rat in PDP and Atiku’s support, alleges plot to stop election
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A human rights group, the Joint Front of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria (JFCSO), has described as “suspicious” the support given to naira redesign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku originally backed the scheme but has since reversed himself to argue that naira shortage is hurting ordinary citizens and urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to allow commercial banks to accept old N500 and N1,000 notes.
JFCSO National President Barnabas Yock questioned the rationale for the original open support for the policy by some in the PDP, including Atiku, amid opposition from some Governors who filed a suit at the Supreme Court against the federal government over the scarcity of the naira.
Yock also alleged PDP Governors plan to use the crisis to prevent holding the election on 25 February as well as collusion between the party leaders and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.
“We find it quite suspicious that at a time when even governors of states controlled by the All Progressives Congress [APC] are joining the public outcry against the pains and confusion caused by the CBN’s cashless policy, PDP, supposedly the main opposition party, is totally and openly in support of the policy,” Yock said in a statement.
“We recall that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was the first to declare support for the policy and other PDP big names including state governors have now joined him.
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Related articles:
PDP asks Buhari to compel Tinubu, other APC members to release hoarded naira notes
Ozekhome insists Buhari cannot overrule Supreme Court order on naira notes
Emefiele insists additional new naira notes can’t be printed for now
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Anti-people policy wrecking families
“The PDP support for the anti-people policy that is wrecking families and communities across the country and potentially leading to greater unrest was busted with the application by the Governors of Bayelsa and Edo, all PDP states, to be joined as defendants against the suit filed by mainly APC governors, challenging it at the Supreme Court,” Yock added, per reporting by The PUNCH.
“It becomes even more suspicious that most of the PDP governments that are backing the policy are currently battling the consequences of the anger caused by the same policy.
“It, therefore, appears that the PDP is in some way connected to the alleged sinister device to use the already escalating cash crisis to create an environment that would hinder the conduct of elections in the country.
“It is becoming clearer that CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, who is a product of the PDP inherited by the current APC government, is in a grand plot with his colleagues in the PDP and some privileged forces in the administration to scuttle the elections and smooth handover for their personal dubious interests.
“While we restate our commitment to challenge, resist and reject any such move under whatever pretext, we alert the nation and the global community as to where blame would ultimately lie in the event of a rupture in the system.
“Finally, we call on voters to be vigilant as to the way the country is headed and use their permanent voter cards to account for all elements of treachery seeking elections to whatever office.”
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