Politicians may trick Nigerians with new naira for votes, Yiaga warns

Politicians may trick Nigerians with new naira for votes, Yiaga warns

YIAGA Africa has warned that economic hardship caused by scarcity of new naira notes may force some Nigerians into relinquishing their votes in exchange for hard-to-find currency.

Yiaga Board Chairman, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, while presenting the organisation’s preliminary statement on conduct of the presidential election.

“This growing discontent among citizens may lead to voter apathy in the form of ‘protest’, which will, eventually, lead to low voter turnout. We are also worried that citizens facing these forms of adversities, going into the election, may be unable to make informed choices at the polls.

“The current naira redesign policy and scarcity of legal tender are aimed to fight vote trading on election day. But the prevailing hardship they has come with may even make it easier for voters to relinquish their votes in exchange for the scarce currency,” he said.

Acknowledging existing challenges, such as insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, Abdu said the prevailing security situation leading to the presidential election has been escalated further by tense political atmosphere.

He, nevertheless, commended political parties and candidates for signing the National Peace Accord, an initiative of the National Peace Committee, headed by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

He also called on the parties, candidates and their supporters to maintain peace during and after the elections.

MEANWHILE, presidential candidates and their political parties have been charged to abide by the peace accord they signed on Wednesday.

Commending the candidates for signing the agreement, the National Coalition for Peace and Unity (NACOPU), made up of political stakeholders, called on politicians to “send a strong message to their supporters all over the country, to ensure they conduct themselves properly, during the election and avoid any form of violence during and after.”

Addressing journalists, yesterday, Protem Secretary General of NACOPU, Cairo Ojougboh, added: “As a body dedicated to the ideals of promoting unity, peace and harmony, with membership from all over the country, we reaffirm our commitment to work with all concerned, to collectively achieve, peace and credible elections in 2023.”