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Tag: Comrade Timi Frank

  • ‘Revoke Buratai’s entry visa for election violence’

    A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has asked the United State of America, United Kingdom and the European Union (EU), to honour their promises and impose visa ban on the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai and others for the involvement of the military in the just concluded general elections.

    Frank, in a petition dated 19th March, 2019 but made available to newsmen in Abuja reminded the international community of his earlier warning about “the impending danger in the plot by the APC led government to use the military and other security apparatus to rig the 2019 general elections and to perpetrate violence which is likely to lead to the killing of innocent electorates.

    “He reminded that of their promises to impose travel ban on anyone involved in electoral violence saying this was the time to fulfill such promises.

    He said “I hereby use this medium to implore you and your good offices to ensure that justice is done. In the circumstances, I enjoin you to carry out your promise of the denial, revocation and ban of visas for all the principal actors, including the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai and his cohorts and politicians who may be complacent in the said dastardly act.

    “The petition titled “The illegal use of the military to perpetrate violence and to disrupt electoral processes in Nigeria: a call for action” reads in party “You may recall that shortly before the 2019 General presidential, National Assembly and governorship elections in Nigeria, I wrote to your good offices to alert you on the impending danger in the plot by the APC led government to use the military and other security apparatus to rig the 2019 general elections and to perpetrate violence which is likely to lead to the killing of innocent electorates.

    “Most predictably, that was exactly what played out in the just  concluded 2019 General  elections in some states in Nigeria where the Nigerian Army deployed military operatives to carry out nefarious activities during the elections in favour of the ruling party even when our  Courts in Nigeria  have long  before 2019 general elections held that the military shall not be deployed anywhere in Nigeria under any guise to monitor elections which is purely a civil exercise of one’s civic right and responsibility.

    “In trying to dent and taint my public image, the Nigeria military under the leadership of General Tukur Buratai, labeled me as a propagandist of fake news in print and social media a few days ago to disparage my hard earned reputation in the eye of the general Public.

    READ ALSO: INEC ordered supplementary election unnecessary, says Timi Frank

    “However, it is worthy of note that I have been vindicated by several reports released by different groups that monitored the elections.

    “For instance, The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria faulted the intimidation of voters and election observers by security agents especially in the governorship and House of Assembly Elections. The EU EOM further condemned the violence and intimidation against the citizens and election observers by the military and security agents, including the EU observers who were denied access to collation centers especially in Rivers.

    “Another report worthy of note is that of The Joint report by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republic Institute (IRI) released on the 9th of March, 2019 as regards the governorship elections where it condemned the heavy military presence in some parts of the country. It was stated that incidents of violence and disruptions to the balloting process were observed in Lagos, Benue, Nasarawa and Rivers state. The mission further frowned at the impunity with which some electoral actors conducted themselves, including some polling agents and members of the military.

    “The executive director of Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) also alleged that military chased observers and some party agents out of the collation centers in some states.

    “INEC on its parts just released a report on the Rivers State of Nigeria governorship elections where the said INEC categorically accused the Nigeria military of being complacent with regards to the unprofessional role they played in the conduct of the said general elections. It was stated that soldiers and armed gangs invaded collation centers to disrupt the collation process in order to thwart the Will of the people which they rightly did.”

  • Intels closed to frustrate Atiku’s presidential ambition – APC chief

    Intels closed to frustrate Atiku’s presidential ambition – APC chief

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank said on Monday that recent closures of Intels belonging to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar was a deliberate attempt by agencies of government to intimidate and truncate his perceived ambition to contest the 2019 Presidential elections.

    Frank who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party said if the Federal Inland Revenue Services, Nigeria Port Authority and Free Trade Zone authority just realized that Intels has not been paying its tax, it goes to show that those who manage the agencies were not fit to preside over such Organisations as they have failed to discharge their duty diligently.

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja, Frank said in carrying out their responsibilities, government agencies should realize that governance should not be reduced to a tool for witch hunting perceived political enemies, adding that the closure of the company was an act of intimidation coming from agents of the present government.

    While asking government agencies to learn to follow due process in their dealings, Frank said those saddled with the responsibility of running government agencies should learn to tread carefully as the nation strive for a better country and democracy.

    He said: “This is not the time to play politics with the issues of governance. Could it be another ploy to weaken Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ahead of his perceived ambition for 2019?

    “The good news is that no matter what these agencies of government do, the prerogative and his decision to run for presidency come 2019 is his fundamental right and rightly so if he so desires.

    “Nigeria, as it is today, has a lot going on and this latest brazen acts by government agencies is the least on the minds of Nigerians. We encourage government agencies to do their work but also take note that governance should not be reduced as a tool to witch hunting individuals, by playing petty politics.

    “I see this as an intimidation coming from agencies of the government of the day on an innocent Nigerian. Atiku Abubakar has paid his dues for the party in particular and the country as a whole.

    “We must not be cowed by these agencies of government who wants to turn themselves to political actors to gain favour from the government of the day. Today is Atiku, tomorrow it can be any other person and for this purpose, we must all stand against this impunity.

    “How come FIRS just realized the non-payment of tax by intels? The export free zone just realized that intels are operating illegally. If the agencies just realized all these, it means they have shown total failure in discharging their duties.

    “Let’s learn to follow due process. Let’s all tread carefully as we strive for a better country and democracy. My thoughts are that some political leaders who are afraid of his profile are hell-bent on truncating his perceived ambition are behind all these.

    “I want to believe that the presidency is not aware of this overbearing and overzealousness on the part of these government agencies. By this, I plead with the presidency to promptly intervene on this matter appropriately in due course before it gets late.

    “The act of the FIRS, NPA, and FTZ as agencies of government is and can be seen to be a calculated attempt to humiliate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. It is pertinent to note that in the history, since the establishment of Intels, no Central Government has ever brazenly persecuted ‘Intels’ like this present Government.

    “Nigerians must rise up to any attempt of vilifying any individual in the guise of the overzealousness of government agencies.”

  • Withdraw military from Southeast – APC chief

    Withdraw military from Southeast – APC chief

    A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, on Thursday asked the Federal Government to withdraw men of the Nigerian Army from the Operation Python Dance currently going in the south east and replace them with members of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and the Police.

    Frank said the show of force by the military in the region which has resulted in clashes and maltreatment of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is capable of putting the country on fire if not properly handled.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, Frank who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC said in as much as military show of force is allow in a peaceful manner, the current approach in the region need to be checked and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the political implications of unleashing the military on an entire region. 

    Frank was reacting to a video circulating on the social media where some youths suspected to be IPOB members who were caught by the military and asked to forcefully swim in dirty water, adding that such action is condemnable all over the world.

    Related: IPOB agitation, a joke – Okorocha

    He said that the military action in the region is capable of sabotaging the good intention of APC government and therefore portray the current administration as a military government. 

    While calling on Nigerians and leaders across board irrespective of political differences to speak out against what he described as inhuman treatment of Nigerians, he said: “today it may be the Igbos, but tomorrow may be the Ijaws or Yorubas or any other region, by then there may be nobody to speak out.  This incident is a total disgrace and embarrassment to the Nigerian government”.

    While asking the government to replace the military with other security forces, he said the government should either replace the Army with Police or Directorate of State Services (DSS) so has handle the good intention of government in a civil manner, saying “the DSS or Police will never carry out such brutality on unarmed Nigerians because DSS has shown maturity in in handling civil issue like this in tne past.” 

    According to him, “the activities of these handful of people asking for Biafra does not represent what the whole region stands for. There are still a large number of people who are not comfortable with such agitation. These people too are Nigerians like others. So the whole region should not suffer the persieved sin of the few.” 

    He described the ongoing military action as pure sycophancy to prove to the President that they are working, adding that “the military did not act this manner when President Muhammadu Buhari was not around for sometime.”

    He said all over the world, agitation for various reasons can not be totally eradicated, adding that the way and manner government and her security agencies handle such matter will show the different and either make citizens to believe in such government or not. 

    “This may be one of the reasons the United State Government refused to sell arms to Nigeria Army because of human right abuse and violation. This has to stop because military solution has never been the best in handling such in a democratic system like ours anywhere in the world.”

  • Calls for elections’ postponement, another June 12 in making – APC

    The All Progressives Party (APC) has warned Nigerians not to keep quiet about the calls for the postponement of the 2015 general election, saying such calls was an attempt at replicating the June 12, 1993 election annulment.

    Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Friday, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Timi Frank, said the Peoples Democratic Party led- government has started seeing the handwriting on the wall that it will lose the elections and started making moves to scuttle the process.

    He spoke just as the former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, assured Nigerians that the elections will go ahead as scheduled, saying nothing on earth can shift the election.

    Frank said the call by the National Security Adviser, Col, Sambo Dasuki, was not only a call for anarchy in the country, but a call against the Nigerian people, pointing out that such comments were responsible for the stoning of the President in some parts of the country.

    He said, “INEC or a group of persons or a cabal cannot change the decision of Nigerians. For God sake, Nigerians have chosen to say that election must hold on February 14 and by the grace of God, we are going to stand by that. If the PDP is not prepare for election, let them back out of it.

    “But Nigerians are ready to go into the election and nothing on earth as at today can change that date. By the grace of God and as a party, we are going to mobilise Nigerians against this, we are going to do everything possible that you can think of to make sure that Nigerians are allowed to vote. It must be free and fair and a winner must emerge at the end of the day.

    “This is not just call for anarchy, this is call against the people. This is another June 12 that is about to happen in Nigeria. Already you seen a winner and because you know that you cannot stand that, you are calling for the postponement of the election. For God sake, this alone can lead to a revolution.”

     

  • My life is under threat – APC spokesman

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, was on Wednesday detained by men of the Department of State Security Service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on arrival from France.

    Frank told journalists that he was detained by security agents at the Immigration point at the airport for over one hour and was later released without anybody saying anything to him.

    He said: “I arrived the Abuja International airport at about 5pm on Tuesday on my way from Paris, France. At the Immigration point where they normally stamp the passport, I was stopped by a lady who walked to me with three others in mufti. As soon as I dropped my passport, she ceased the passport and asked me to move aside. I asked why and she said it was an instruction which I must obey.

    “As a law abiding citizen, I obeyed and moved aside. Without telling me anything, she took me to where other security agents were sitting and said that I should sit there, and asked the other SSS people there to keep me in their custody until she gets further clearance.

    “I asked the man sitting beside me why I was being treated like a member of Boko Haram. So, I have decided to let Nigerians know that as we get closer to the 2015 elections, there is a form of crackdown on some opposition leaders by the security agencies, including the SSS who are now being used to harass and intimidate opposition leaders in Nigeria.

    “This is maybe the first step. For me, it may be a small one, but I can assure you that this is another strategy they have adopted to intimidate opposition leaders. Let me also assure you that no amount of intimidation from security agents will stop me.

    “Despite being the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, I am also an activist. I have been talking and fighting for the right of Nigerians. I have been fighting against corruption in this country.

    “No amount of intimidation from the SSS or any other security agency will stop me from speaking and not even the Presidency. As I speak, this is a very serious issue. My life is under threat and it is very important to let you know that if anything happens to me from today, the Nigerian security agencies must be held responsible. The job of the SSS is to protect Nigerians and not to harass Nigerians or the opposition.

    “When they released me after over one hour, they did not say anything to me. The surprising thing was that my passport was not even stamped. It was when I was in the car, going through the passport pages to confirm whether it was stamped that I realized that it was not stamped.”