NewStats: 3,261,660 , 8,174,670 topics. Date: Friday, 30 May 2025 at 12:25 AM 5072n

SIX days to the February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls, candidates and political parties are devising ways to mitigate the effects of the raging Naira scarcity on their electoral quests.

Currently, there is tension in the polity on of the scarcity of the new N200, N500 and 1000 notes, which has been worsened by fuel scarcity.

Since the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, introduced the redesigned Naira and cash limit policy of N500,000 and N5,000,000 a week for individuals and corporate organisations, respectively, many politicians have been kept on their toes.

A host of politicians mainly of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have been kicking against the policy with some claiming that the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is the prime target of the policy.

Apart from checking vote buying, the Federal Government said the policy is meant to fight inflation and insecurity, especially kidnapping for ransom.

The deadline for the use of the old notes was initially fixed for January 31 but the CBN later extended it to February 10.

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, extended the use of the old N200 note to April 10, declaring that the old N500 and N1000 notes ceased to be legal tender on February 10, as affirmed by the CBN.

The president’s declaration is not in tandem with an interim order of the Supreme Court, which restrained the Federal Government from implementing the February 10 deadline for use of the old notes based on the suit filed by the governments of Kogi, Zamfara and Kaduna states. The apex court fixed hearing of the suit for February 22.

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, on Thursday, lamented that the Naira scarcity was hurting him and other Politicians.

Specifically, Doguwa, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the APC, said he needs N70m “in hard copy” for this election and it is not available due to the Naira crunch.

Doguwa lamented that the naira scarcity caused by the new policy would affect the electioneering expenses of politicians.

The lawmaker, who expressed his reservation over the new naira policy after a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, lamented that the policy is affecting the APC.

Citing Section 88(4) of the Electoral Act, Doguwa said: “I need to have this N70m in hard copy. That is the position of the law and as I speak to you, I don’t have it.”

Doguwa noted that all politicians, irrespective of political affiliations, would be affected by the new policy.

“The policy in itself is against the ruling party because Nigerians that are not happy will look at it as a policy of the government of the APC.

“30-40 days to elections you come out with a policy that is not widely accepted by Nigerians, whether we like it or not that will be seen as the programme of the government. So those of us in the APC are not happy about it,” he said.

Plots to beat Naira scarcity

Despite the complaints of politicians, Sunday Vanguard gathered that a host of them were “forward looking” and had mapped out measures to navigate the Naira crunch.

Their moves, the CBN lamented, last week, is partly responsible for Naira scarcity because they are “mopping up” the few redesigned Naira released into circulation by the apex bank.

The Naira mop up is to deepen the measures they are taking to win the election that has become tougher because of the introduction of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, by the INEC to check multiple voting as well as ensure that the real owner of a Permanent Voters Card, PVC, votes.

Before now, some politicians had embarked on expanded stomach infrastructure through the appointment of more aides; ensuring that their faithful got PVCs; and denying perceived ers of opponents their PVCs.

On Election Day, Sunday Vanguard gathered that part of the measures will be to suppress votes and buy votes in opponents’ strongholds.

Asked the possibility of “compensating” their ers on Election Day, one grassroots politician said: “we are politicians, we know the game and how to play it.”

Stomach infrastructure

With rising poverty in the land, some politicians have embarked on fresh welfare packages to win the of would-be voters.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that many politicians are toeing the line of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, on a higher scale.

Wike, recently, appointed over 200,000 special political appointees and placed them on a monthly allowance of N30,000 to N50,000.

A top leader of one of the political parties told Sunday Vanguard: “Wike appointed 200,000 aides. We are doing a similar thing on a larger scale. We mobilised over one million people for the voter registration and ensured they got their PVCs. The 2023 elections will be different from past elections because of the BVAS and redeg of the naira. In the past, an officer in charge of some polling units in a Ward may be given N500,000 or one million nairas. From the money, he will take care of agents of the other parties, security agents and INEC officials and we will take charge of the process.

“With BVAS, things have changed. But we are politicians and we know how to play the game. We have mobilized real people, real voters, up to one million in some LGAs. We have started giving them allowances of N10,000 every month and it will continue till the end of the election. We transfer the money into their bank s.”

‘Naira scarcity will affect vote sellers more’

Agreeing that the Naira redesign policy has affected politicians, another politician said voters would be affected the more.

“In the past, depending on location, politicians buy votes with N5000, N10,000 or even N20,000, if there was stiff opposition. Now things have changed. With the scarcity of Naira and worsening poverty, votes may be bought with N1000. You have seen what people are ing through to survive and how difficult it is to get cash. Some of them may even sell their votes for N200,” he said.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/vote-buying-politicians-plot-new-strategies-to-by-cash-crunch/

Let's see how it plays

E go still choke
Because there loads of old naira note packed somewhere...
Mehn it's going to be difficult

Rest and self care are so important. When you take to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.

Buhari should forget this cash policy abeg.
He shouldn't punish us because we want to elect one of 3 failures Tinubu, Atiku and Obi.
They all belong in the same old order.

Obi might be slightly better but he still belongs to that category.

It's not like this suffering from this stringent cash policy is going to bring us a Mandela or a Lee Kuan Yew anyway.

The fear of Peter Obi.

vicdom:

Despite the complaints of politicians, Sunday Vanguard gathered that a host of them were “forward looking” and had mapped out measures to navigate the Naira crunch.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/vote-buying-politicians-plot-new-strategies-to-by-cash-crunch/

They don't have any other choice, the people are against vote buying and this is why they didn't listen to the likes of el-rufai but stick with Buhari

However, this is better!

Rather than say that they are fighting for the masses, they should say how it is affecting them (the politicians).

We all know that the politicians in this country don't mean well for the masses

The thing wey go pain me na if the masses go through this harsh policies for nothing e no go funny at all!

We know the leader of vote buying in Nigeria but God forbib BATin.

Lol the day is almost here after the election make dem sha reverse the foolish policy no be Govt go dey tell me aw I go spend my money.....

Tinubu is desperate

K

Nigerian Politicians are the worst set of corrupt individuals in the world… I will urge every voters to collect their money and vote for their candidate. 2023 will define a new narrative in the electoral system in Nigeria. History is about to be made.

Vote Peter obi to save the future of our country, Nigeria desperately need Peter Obi, not all those old corrupt looters

No matter how you tweak it, vote buying will be reduced drastically.

They will not rest. Greedy politicians

Buying voters for N1000 is an insult to voters, everyone should be ready to spread the message to the poor indigent citizens that selling their votes means perpetrating poverty in their lives.
Collect their palliative and vote your conscience.
President Buhari has done his part to reduce vote buying its now left for Nigerians to do their part by voting wisely

Ok

Buhari still winning..

Why not base your victory on your performance other than palliative..

Banks can collect the old notes till April 10.

Una dey talk as if banks no dey collect the old notes at all

If Obidience pay each voters 12k old note to vote Obi, the voter can resell it for 10k.

shuttox:
Let's see how it plays

E go still choke
Because there loads of old naira note packed somewhere...
Mehn it's going to be difficult

I think they'll still share the old notes since CBN has laid down a method of depositing old notes through commercial banks. That's where it gets tricky.

J

We will all meet in pool,.

Many sub level thinkers won't be able to process what I am about to say but I will try.

There is nothing like vote buying , it's all a ruse , votes can only be won and whatever way a voters decides for his vote to be won is that voters concern as long as his process doesn't disenfranchise another voter .. There is a reason why the constitution says you must be a biological adult of 18 before you can vote this is to assure you have a biologically developed thought process that can make you make the best choices for you as to how you want your your vote to be won .
Voter A might want his vote to be won for some immediate gains as guided by his reality while voter B might opt for his votes to be won by way of religion or tribal affiliations , Voter C might opt for his vote to be won for just simple personal reasons like the candidate is his neighbor and voter D might want his vote to be won on the basis of some long term goals like a better society for his kids ..What ever path a voter decides to use to allow his vote to be win is legitimately valid as far as he doesn't disenfranchise another voter in the process...If someone says he will vote for the candidate that can give him immediate 5000 naira vote to solve immediate reality issues like hunger who are you to describe him as a vote seller or describe his own process as vote buying but you that is going for a candidate that is promising your kids cheaper vacation visa or a new bridge for your car to you say your own is the valid way to give vote ... People open your eyes there is nothing like vote buying in democracy

I DEY BUY OLD NOTES.. NA MAKE YOUR MIND DEY THERE.

Who wan drink peppersoup today?

They had already bought the new naira so what else again?

vicdom:


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/vote-buying-politicians-plot-new-strategies-to-by-cash-crunch/

ok
The new notes they mopped up won't be enough for even 1 politicians...
Emefiele really hold them for blockos this time even though he is a criminal too...

This will change nothing but I hope the mods sees it...
and his host of zombie will insult you and insult everyone who doesn't align with their stupid idiology or have interest in their candidates and when you retaliate, they call on mods... I know some mods too are bias and you get banned.... Nairaland is like Nigeria. Seun, as we are looking forward to a new Nigeria, let us also look forward to a new nairaland devoid of bias mods

Anybody who sells their vote for 200 naira deserves to suffer for 600years😡

Nigeria

Politicians already mopped up Old and new notes and they would buy votes with it, some banks would accept old Naira deposit of less than 500k