The Indepedent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has challenged the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) to address the scarcity of cash across the nation to save the 2023 polls.
Its chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu said the current scarcity was creating tension and subjecting Nigerians to untold hardships that could impact negatively on logistics and preparation for the polls.
He spoke on Tuesday when he led 11 National Commissioners on a visit to CBN Governor Godwin Emiefele.
Yakubu said it was worrisome that 17 days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, some service providers to the commission were ”unbanned.”
The INEC chairman told the CBN Governor the 2023 polls will be the best in Nigeria’s history, adding that concerns have however been raised about the processes leading to the elections.
He said while the Commission has transfered all its accounts at the state and national level to the apex bank, some of the services being rendered to the Commission need to be paid for in cash.
Responding, Emefiele said that the apex will not allow itself to be used to frustrate the forthcoming general elections.
He said: “The CBN will no allow itself to be used as agents to frustrate the forth coming election which is a positive assignment.
“If you require cash to pay some of your service providers, we will make it available to you. We will not allow ourselves to be seen as agents that frustrate a genuine assignment”.