The Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) has debunked reports that banking services will be shut down during the election period. The association said all bank branches and digital channels will be open for banking services before, during, and after the elections.
This was revealed in a statement signed by the president of the association Rasheed Bolarinwa, on Wednesday in Lagos, per NAN.
Unconfirmed reports flying around the internet had it that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed commercial banks to shut down operations to curtail the chances of politicians who would use electronic channels to conduct vote-buying.
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The recent naira redesign policy, which has phased out the old N500 and N1,000 notes, is targeted at preventing both state and non-state actors from influencing the outcome of the elections with money.
But ACAMB, the umbrella body of Corporate and Marketing Communications Professionals working in Nigeria’s banking sector, said that Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) had not received any directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to shut down banking services for five days, as stated in a fake press release.
It assured the public that banking services will be available through the election periods as banks have put measures in place to ensure that their customers are duly served.
“The attention of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks has been drawn to the trending social media message purporting that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was shutting down banking services for five days from Thursday, 23rd to Monday 27th February 2023 because of the general elections holding in Nigeria over next two weekends.
“ACAMB hereby wishes to debunk the fake news in its entirety and wishes to assure Nigerians and the banking public that there is no iota of truth in the viral message that is being circulated.
“Up until this moment, no Deposit Money Banks or other institutions providing financial services have received any directive or communication from the CBN to close the doors of their physical banking halls or shut their digital platforms and online banking channels against their customers because of elections.
“ACAMB further wishes to assure customers that their respective banks have put in place measures to ensure that depositors can as usual, access money in their accounts during this period.
“Also, customers who wish to carry out transfers or use electronic banking services will have unhindered access to these services before, during, and after the elections,” it said.