Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for having the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) redesign the naira notes, stating that it would put a stop to vote buying during upcoming elections.
The comments were made during a meeting on Tuesday between a delegation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Council of National Students Presidents of Nigeria (CNSPN) in Abuja.
Dogara's remarks came as the Council of Students announced its endorsement of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP's presidential candidate.
The former Speaker added that the new policy would help ensure a credible election and that Abubakar is running for president not out of hunger but because he has been tested and can be trusted.
It is worth noting that the CBN began redesigning the country's banknotes in 2019, with the first new note - a 50 naira note - released in April of that year.
The remaining denominations, including the 1000 naira note, were released in the following months.
The redesigned notes feature new security features and enhanced aesthetics, and are intended to make it more difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce them.
The CBN also said that the redesign would make it easier for visually impaired people to identify different denominations, as the notes now feature large numerals and other tactile marks.
However, while the redesigned notes are more secure, it is not immediately clear how they will prevent vote buying during elections, which has become a major concern in Nigeria in recent years.
Nevertheless, Dogara's comments suggest that some see the redesign as a positive step towards addressing the problem.
It remains to be seen how the redesign will impact the upcoming general elections in Nigeria, which are set to take place in 2023.
As the campaigns and preparations for the polls continue, it is likely that issues such as vote buying, security, and transparency will remain key concerns for many Nigerians.
“I want to encourage us that whatever we are passing through in terms of naira redesign is not comparable to allowing some people to buy vote. I want to appeal to us that this is part of the sacrifice that will give us a transparent election,” Dogara said.
The national president of the Council, Comrade Obaji Uchenna Marshal, spoke on behalf of the Council. He said that CNSPN had taken the time to closely follow all of the frontline candidates and read their policy working documents (Manifestos).
After careful consideration, they concluded that the PDP manifesto carried by the Atiku/Okowa ticket is the most reliable, attainable, and educational.
“The working document of the PDP is the only document that goes beyond making political promises to provide a blueprint for achieving these promises.
“Base on this premise and on our conviction, that it will work best for Nigerian, CNSPN, after our National Executives Council Meeting have resolved, adopted and to work Vigorously for the success of the Atiku/Okowa ticket comes February 25th Presidential Election, we have passed circular urging all students under our umbrella to come out, vote and also work to ensure victory. We are fully behind the Rescue Team of the PDP,” he said.
The Council of National Students Presidents of Nigeria (CNSPN) is made up of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), the Postgraduate Students Association of Nigeria (PSAN), the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), and the National Association of Colleges of Agriculture Students (NACAS). Together, these groups represent more than 42.5 million students in Nigeria and worldwide.