Jan 31 (Lagos) - Bureau De Change operators in Benin are lamenting low patronage in spite of current political activities ahead of the general elections. Some of the operators told the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews on Thursday that demand for their services was lower, when compared to previous elections. They stressed that the expected boom in their line of business as a result of the elections was yet to be seen. They said at election period such as this, politicians always rush either to change Naira to Dollar or change Dollar to Naira. The Chairman of the United Bureau De Change Traders Association at Erie in Benin, Jamilu Suleiman, said he believes that the President’s stand against corruption may have contributed to the lull in their business. “We have never experienced something like this in an election year before; the business is not encouraging, it’s dull. “Though, we still run the normal business, what I am saying is that we expect an increase in the business because of the elections but it is not just there. “I concluded that the patronage is low because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption as many of the politicians are afraid of being caught,” he said. Another operator, Haruna Adamu, said there is no operator that is not complaining about the lull in business at this period, adding that they would have been smiling by now with the usual boom in business recorded previously during elections. “This time, I would not have had time for this interview with you because many politicians come around to carry out one business or the other. “It is really not a happy time for us right now; I just hope things turn around for the better before the election dates.” Another operator, Inuwa Alli, however, expressed optimism that the situation would change before the elections. “I am very sure that most of the politicians are keeping things till the dying minutes before they start spending. “We are not the only ones complaining, other businesses that normally experience boom before elections are also complaining. “The only people I know that are not complaining are the printers; even the politicians themselves are complaining of lack of fund,” he stated. Reporting for easykobo.com Thursday, 31 Jan 2019 from Lagos Nigeria.