₦airaland Forum

PRESS STATEMENT 


APC now in the minority for placing more value on cows to Nigerians - Ex-spokesman

...Congratulates rAPC, PDP, others over coalition


Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has said that one of the reasons he and many others left the ruling party was because of its value for cows at the expense of human lives.


Frank who was reacting to the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Reformed-All Progressives Congress (rAPC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), among other opposition political parties, declared that ruling APC will soon become a party of one term in power.


In a statement signed on Tuesday in Abuja, to congratulate the leadership of R-APC; Engr. Buba Galadima, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and all other political parties who made the coalition a success, especially the National Chairman of Action Peoples Party (APP) Comrade Ikenga Ugochinyere, Timi Frank said "the current status of the opposition body in the country has practically dislodged APC from majority to minority party."


He also reminded Nigerians that the much talked about corruption fight by the current administration has turned out to be the worse for it.


"Majority of us has to leave APC because it is now a ruling party of cows. This is a party that so much value the lives of cows at the expense of human lives. From all indications APC is now in minority.


"They must be told that the party is no longer the biggest party because it has lost majority in the National Assembly and Nigerians are patiently waiting to celebrate its exit in 2019," he said.


Frank who assured Nigerians that the latest merger won't be like what the then nPDP entered into with APC before 2015 general elections, added that the leadership of the coalition will do everything possible to end killings and poverty in the land.The first step to rescue Nigerians from the hands of APC led administration.


"I believe that God is interested in the latest coalition to lead Nigerians out of the current quagmire the country finds herself. Therefore, after now Nigerians will celebrate the exit of APC government as a one term administration in Nigeria."


While calling on all members of rAPC ,nPDP and others who are yet to make up their minds in joining the coalition especially at the National Assembly to do so immediately.Frank said it is a decision that no progressive-minded politician will ever regret.


The Bayelsa born politician said: "Everyone remaining in APC has to find his or her escape route now from the party of killings and hunger, and join the moving train before they are tagged enemies of Nigeria."


Signed:

Comrade Timi Frank

Abuja.

10/07/2018.

...Says President's Comment hypocritical

Former Deputy National Publicity of the Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has described comments said to have been made by President Muhammadu Buhari in reaction to the Supreme Court's acquittal of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, as "hypocritical."

Frank in a statement in Abuja, said it would have been better for the President to have maintained a dignified silence rather than betraying his emotion by comparing his purely political judicial antecedents to the persecution of Saraki.

He said that Buhari should have since demonstrated his faith in the judiciary by ensuring that all persons around him that have been accused of corruption are also made to prove their innocence through the judicial process instead of shielding them from prosecution.

Frank said: "I find it a joke of the year and facetiously hypocritical for Mr. President to say that Saraki's "tortuous journey" to victory at the Supreme Court is akin to his own three-time sojourn through the judicial apparatchik.

"What does Mr. President mean? Is he saying that he tacitly supported the persecution of the President of the Senate simply because he emerged as the Presiding Officer of the Senate on June 9, 2015 against the wish of a cabal in the party with his tacit support?

"To prove his new faith in the Judiciary, let the executive arraign and ensure that persons like the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babacheer Lawal and the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, to prove their innocence over the grass cutting scandal and corruption petitions from the Rivers State Government against them respectively.

"We knew from day one that the charge of alleged false asset declaration against Saraki was a political vendetta plotted to shame and pull Saraki down. We never had doubt that the judiciary would vindicate him. Our only fear was the attacks and intimidation of judicial officers, by agents of this administration to force a miscarriage of justice.

"I think the President should have been courageous enough to ask the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) - that hijacked the job of the Code of Conduct Bureau and championed the persecution of Saraki - to apologize to him.

"To equate Saraki's unjust trial to Buhari's episodes of legal battle to prove that he was cheated during three presidential elections is to admit guilt. It is like 'I went through hell and I also wanted you to go through hell to know how it feels.'

"I think that this type of mindset is sadistic and un-fatherly, if that was the thinking behind the statement issued on Saturday by Garba Shehu - Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.

"I think the Justices of the Supreme Court and the Chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), deserve the commendation of all Nigerians for seeing the case for what it was, and for their courage in preventing a calamitous injustice which was about to perpetrated against an innocent man."

Comrade Timi Frank
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress

Well deserved @Dankwambo! #Dankwambo2019

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Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has reiterated his confidence in the judicial process and the ability of the Judiciary to do justice to all manner of men and in all circumstances.

In a statement personally signed by him after the judgement of the Supreme Court which upheld the earlier decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal discharging and acquitting him of all 16 charges instituted against him, Saraki expressed gratitude to all Nigerians who have supported him since the case commenced three years ago.

“At the end of a tortuous journey of 1018 Days counting from September 22, 2015 when the case began at the Tribunal, I am happy that I have been vindicated. The Supreme Court has affirmed that there is no evidence of false declaration of assets. The court also observed that certain agents took over the responsibility of the Code of Conduct Bureau in this trial, and one can infer that this was done towards a pre-determined end.

“This outcome has gladdened my heart and further strengthened my belief in this country and as well as my faith in Almighty Allah, who is the righter of all wrongs. God has vindicated me today before the judgement of man, and I am most thankful and humbled at His grace and infinite mercies.

“Through it all, I refused to be shaken, knowing, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, that the arch of the moral universe may be long, but it bends towards justice. I knew the day would come when justice would prevail and I would be exonerated.

“I have always believed in the infallibility of our Judiciary, secure in the knowledge that our courts – the last refuge of the oppressed - would never condemn the innocent. This outcome is also a vindication of my belief in the rule of law.

“As I said in my first appearance at the CCT, this is a politically motivated case. The case was trumped up in the first instance because of my emergence as the President of the Senate against the wishes of certain forces. Ordinarily, I doubt anyone would be interested in the asset declaration form I filled over 15 years ago.

“What we have seen is the opposite. Instead of working together in the interest of the nation and to seek to do better for our people, we are fighting one another and using legal instruments to mount baseless accusations against one another. Instead of exhibiting the need for unity and working day and night for that purpose, we are stoking the fire of division and rancour. I maintain that, above all else, my CCT trial has been a flagrant vilification of my person, and shows that some people are after their personal interests rather than the national interest.

“As a result of the war of attrition, various arms of government have wasted resources needlessly. It has been three wasted years across board in this country. Three years that would have been devoted to tackling issues affecting Nigerians, including: economic recovery, insecurity, youth unemployment and strengthening national institutions – were wasted on malicious prosecution. People were ready to trade off three years that would have been devoted to fostering cooperation, unity and economic progress for their selfish ends. It is my hope that those who are behind my persecution will see the handwriting on the wall and leave me to do the work for which I was elected, so I can continue to give my all to this great country of ours.

“As many have rightly observed, it is plain to see that the anti-corruption fight is being prosecuted with vindictiveness, to target perceived political opponents. I believe in the need to fight corruption, but I will never be party to the selective application of the law or the rhetoric of an insincere anti-corruption fight.

“I believe in fighting corruption and I have made my own humble contributions to the fight against corruption in this country. As a presidential aide, I initiated the process that led to the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. I was the first governor to establish the Price Intelligence Unit which later metamorphosed into the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) at the federal level. In the history of this country, the highest fraud, the most brazen corruption has been the Fuel Subsidy scam. No one wanted to talk about it or confront entrenched powers. As a Senator on the platform of the ruling party at that time, I sponsored a motion on the floor of the Senate calling for investigation that led to the unprecedented exposure of the massive corruption in the fuel subsidy regime. That was my only point of departure with the former President. My antecedents speak for themselves.

“I thank Nigerians for standing by me through the difficult period of this trial. The support of ordinary Nigerians and their faith in me, as well as their sophistication and discernment in seeing this case for what it was, has been a source of strength to me.

“I am most grateful for the support of my Distinguished Colleagues and the Honourable Members of the 8th National Assembly for their unflinching support and regular attendance at the various proceedings. They were unfairly criticised for accompanying me on court appearances, but it is now clear that they did so because they believed that injustice to one, is injustice to all. They have been the true embodiment of esprit de corps. I thank them for banding together in the face of an unconscionable attack on the institution of the legislature.

“I thank my legal team for their determined and principled stance, and for their knowledge and diligence, which saw this case to its just conclusion. My gratitude to all my friends, political associates, supporters and the good people of Kwara State – all of whom have been solidly behind me.

“I thank my family for enduring this trial with their usual grace and fortitude. My immense gratitude also goes to the international community for their interest in this case. The Nigerian press have kept watch and I appreciate their vigilance in ensuring that all the facts were held up to scrutiny.

“To my supporters, yes, there is a reason to rejoice, but our celebration must be tempered with the sobering lessons of the attempted injustice from Day One of this trial. We all have to canvas for fairness in the fight against corruption. We should see this verdict as an inspiration to champion the rule of law, promote democracy and its institutions as well as tolerance of divergent views.

“The overwhelming support of so many, and the insistence on ensuring that due process and truth prevailed, has made this verdict possible,” he stated.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/saraki-hails-supreme-court-verdict-says-trial-politically-motivated/

OPEN LETTER TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL


The Secretary/General of the United Nations

H.E. António Guterres

Thru: UN's Abuja Office

Diplomatic Drive
Central Business Area
Area 1, Garki Abuja.


Sir, 


A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION TO STOP ONGOING ETHNIC CLEANSING AND GENOCIDE IN NIGERIA



It has become imperative for me to once again bring to your attention the continuous mass murder of innocent Nigerians by Fulani Herdsmen without required mitigation from the present administration in the country. The tension between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities has existed for many years. However, there has been a dramatic upswing in recent time with increasing brutal attacks and gruesome killings on a daily basis. The impunity and brutality with which the assailants operate, without regard to law and sanctity of life, is both shocking and appalling. It is however surprising to note that the government of the day which was elected in an unprecedented public approval in 2015, has not deemed it necessary to summon the political will and courage to forge a lasting solution to the violence. The nation's security is on a free float while Nigerians are being killed in their native communities where they have dwelled for ages.


You are no doubt aware that Fulani herdsmen have been acknowledged by the global community as the fourth deadliest Terror Group in the world. ‘Fulani militants' as they have come to be known are daily visiting deaths on innocent farmers who dare challenge them after their farms have been ravaged by cattle. For the singular reason that they want their cattle to graze on other people's farmland, they kill and maim natives. Therefore, lives and property are perpetually endangered across the  country as I write. 


Curiously however, the government of the day has refused to declare the group as a terrorist organization, as a way of bringing permanent closure to their bloodletting activities. Another worrisome dimension to this orgy of violence is the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently defended them as a group that merely carry sticks and machetes. However, to the contrary, eyewitnesses report that the Fulani militants are usually armed with sophisticated weapons and often attack their victims when they are most vulnerable, such as midnights, church services and burial ceremonies. They have consistently visited and brutally killed predominantly Christian natives in the North Central Region including some parts of the South and North of the country.


Notable Nigerians have spoken against the killings while the Federal Government has remained silent in the face of increasing loss of human lives. Elder statesmen like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Gen. Theophilus Danjuma have decried the deteriorating security situation in the country in recent time. However, their admonition for the Executive to step up action to curb the killings has largely fell on deaf ears. As you may be aware, Obasanjo and Danjuma are men of high integrity and requisite knowledge, especially as it relates to security matters, having spent years in the army and risen to the peak of their military careers.


Gen. T.Y Danjuma was quoted as saying that: "You must rise to protect yourself from these people; if you depend on the Armed Forces to protect you, you will die. I ask all of you to be on alert and defend your country, defend your state." He made the above comments in the face of unnecessary killings which according to him is akin to an act of ethic cleansing being perpetuated against the people of Taraba State, specifically, and Nigeria at large. He further insisted that the military is complicit in the killings.


Besides, in a bid to prompt the government to take action to stop the herders' murderous activities, a human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), had filed a case of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Fulani herdsmen and the continued massacre of innocent people and farmers in Jukun in Taraba, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court. This has not yielded the desired result which is to stop the killings. 


Let me state categorically that majority of Nigerians have no knowledge of any effort presently being made by this government to stop these wanton killings and large scale destruction of property by the Fulani militants, aside emergency deployment of military and police personnel to affected areas long after the militants have complete their murderous assignments. The knee-jerk approach being presently adopted by the government in reaction to increasing loss of valuable lives has given credence to notions that the security lapses leading to massive deaths in the country is as a result of executive fraud and corruption in high places. For example, so much has been budgeted for security in the last three years without concomitant results in adequate protection and safety for citizens. From all indications, it is apparent that the government of the day is sympathetic to the cause of the Fulani herdsmen. The fundamental purpose of government is the protection of lives and property. That has been jettisoned by the present administration. The lives of citizens are no longer of value to President Buhari and his men, just as there appears to have been total collapse of governance in Nigeria in the last three years. 


I dare say that the United Nations cannot stand aloof and watch human lives being wasted on such gargantuan scale as being witnessed daily in Nigeria, due largely to the failure of government to rise to the occasion and stem the tide; by doing the needful to safeguard the lives of its own people. I therefore, call on the United Nations and the G7 countries such as the United States of America, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom to come to Nigeria's aid before it is too late. We as Nigerians have lost confidence in our security outfits, especially the military as they have shown complicity in the killings going on in Nigeria. Questions begging for answers are: Why have they not been able to prevent the attacks, make arrest and prosecute the killers? These attacks are being carried out for hours and no single suspect has been prosecuted? I therefore call on the United Nations and other world powers to make their own private findings as to what is going on in Nigeria as it relates to security matters. As  it is, if we don’t get intervention in good time, there may not be Nigeria in the nearest future. 


God bless Nigeria.


Yours sincerely,



Comrade Timi  Frank

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI 


                          STOP DEMONIZING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 



The ongoing conflict between the Executive and the National Assembly which followed your scathing criticism of the lawmakers before signing the 2018 budget, I must say, is most unfortunate and unbecoming of your status as president. To consistently seek to cast the leadership and members of the National Assembly as villains does not augur well for the continuous survival of our democracy. To pitch Nigerians against the National Assembly is to destroy the engine room of our democracy. This is most uncharitable and unfair. By reason of our constitutional democracy, no arm of government can be self-sufficient.


I say this because of the constitutionally guaranteed powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds and judicial pronouncements affirming the powers of the legislature to make input into budget estimates submitted to it by the executive. Section 80(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), states and I quote, "No Money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner PRESCRIBED (emphasis mine) by the National Assembly." Besides, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, had in a case of Falana v the Federal Government ruled that the legislature does not exist as a rubber stamp of the executive. The Honourable Justice also upheld the powers of the legislature to make "INPUTS" (emphasis mine), into the budget where necessary. Justice Kolawole had said that: "The National Assembly was not created by drafters of the Constitution and imbued with powers to receive 'budget estimates' which the first defendant (executive) is constitutionally empowered to prepare and lay before it, as a RUBBER STAMP PARLIAMENT (emphasis mine). The whole essence of the budget estimates being required to be laid before Parliament is to enable it, being Assembly of the representatives of the people, to debate the budget proposals and to make its own well informed legislative inputs into it."


Following your claim that certain provisions in the 2018 budget might be difficult to implement, my question is, what was the level of implementation of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 capital appropriations to justify your assertion? With a record of about 20 per cent implementation of capital budget in the last three years, this administration has the unenviable record of very low budget execution. I think the executive should rather tell Nigerians where all the money for unexecuted projects in the last three years are being kept instead of beguiling gullible Nigerians with unwarranted affront against the National Assembly. As a member of the ruling party, I can say without fear of contradiction that the sole reason for this animosity and hatred towards the National Assembly is the fact that the current leadership of the National Assembly emerged by popular will as against imposition. Those who failed to impose leaders on the 8th National Assembly have continued to engage every avenue to undermine them and this has to stop. 


In addition, Mr. President, I dare say that the present National Assembly has been most supportive of your administration by overlooking your constitutional breaches in the spirit of forbearance and peaceful coexistence. For example, the withdrawal of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account for security purposes and the recent payment of $496million for 12 Fighter Jets, without recourse to the National Assembly, fall within the ambit of impeacheable offenses. But they decided not to go the way of impeachment in the spirit of collaboration and harmonious working relationship.


Let me further add that the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the lawmakers of the 8th National Assembly deserve praise for their resilience, focus and standing up for the rule of law and due process in the discharge of their mandate. They have far surpassed the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Senate in the number and quality of economic bills passed, confirmed nominees, oversight and advocacy. Don't get me wrong, they definitely have their faults, but by refusing to become rubber stamp, they are charting the right course for our democracy. They ought to be celebrated rather than setting them up for undue vilification. 


Sir, you may not like the manner in which Saraki and Dogara emerged as Presiding Officers of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, but all you need is to work with the institution of the National Assembly to realize your electioneering promises rather than personalizing issues in the manner you have done. Because you did not like the emergency of Saraki and Dogara, your government has continued to harass and intimidate them and other members of the National Assembly in a bid to subjugate and turn them into Executive rubber stamp. This has to stop!


Sir, I believe it is time you stop complaining and engaging in blame games. It is time to stop demonizing the National Assembly. You were elected to fix the country but if you have nothing substantial to show for your stewardship in the last three years, no amount of buck passing will turn failure into success or lack of performance to achievements. Blaming the National Assembly for lack of direction and appreciable achievement in the last three years cannot be a passmark on any scorecard. Don't forget that you were not elected to tame the National Assembly. You were elected to lead the country on the path of progressive development through good governance, obedience to the rule of law and genuine collaboration with other  arms of government. 



With best regards.



Yours  sincerely, 




Comrade Timi  Frank

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555

Congratulations to all the elected council leaders! PDP is Rivers, Rivers is PDP

Dear Sir,

JUNE 12 AND THE BURDEN OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

It is with great delight that I write this open letter to you, Mr. President, and wish to congratulate you and all Nigerians for the great honour done to late chief MKO Abiola and his running mate, with the conferment of GCFR and GCON on them respectively, whilst not forgetting others who stood gallantly in reclaiming the JUNE 12 MANDATE against all odds. Indeed, this great gesture has soothed the open sore of the June 12 struggle and has began the process of healing the wounds of those dark days, whilst bringing succour to the souls of the departed who fought against dictatorship and tyranny in a bid to reclaiming the lost mandate of the Nigerian people. Suffice to say, Mr. President, that it is no coincidence that this laudable gesture has been achieved 25 years after all hopes of restoring the mandate appeared to have been dashed indefinitely.

Having recognised the need and finally put to rest this dark episode in our country’s history, I humbly urge you to take the subsequent step in declaring Chief Abiola as President (Posthumously) and further recognising all the key players who played different roles in the actualization of democracy during those trying times, and of course, those who also paid the ultimate price for freedom with their sacred lives. It is no gainsaying to say the least that Nigerians will forever remain grateful to you for standing up and putting to rest the June 12 imbroglio, irrespective of dissenting opinions. It will be wise to conclude, therefore sir, that this great feat will usher in a new Nigeria where all the main ingredients to sustaining and entrenching democracy will become the norm in our daily lives, spearheaded by those in power at all times. The lessons of June 12 and what it meant to Nigerians should be the bedrock of our democracy, as anything short of this will rubbish the very intention for which the honours were conceived ab initio.

Furthermore, Mr President, having been a lone voice in criticizing the activities of your administration, despite being a member of the APC, many will wonder what the true intent of this Open Letter may convey, but be rest assured sir, that only those who mean well for this country will speak up when wrong is being painted as right. The CHANGE mantra upon which this administration was voted into power massively by Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious and social affiliations, is fast eroding away and I’m afraid, sir, that if nothing is done to Right the Wrong, then the Hopes and Aspirations which had ushered in a brighter tomorrow will end up in Regret and Despair. That I have decided to speak up against the current ills in the system attest to the fact that, it is only when people speak up that True Change will eventually occur. The resilience and belief in the June 12 Struggle attest to the fact that those who fought for democracy in Nigeria believed in the truest meaning of democracy in all its ramifications. A country where the RULE OF LAW, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND ASSOCIATION, UPHOLDING THE RIGHTS OF EVERY CITIZEN AND ABOVE ALL RESPECT FOR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS was and is the very pillar upon which Chief MKO ABIOLA and several others paid the ultimate price with their lives. Anything short of this will amount to MILITOCRACY or DICTATORSHIP as it were. The lack of adherence to these social rights, I must admit, are very prevalent in this administration and seems to be growing larger by the day. These ills are reminiscent of and a sad reminder of the Junta days, with many regretting their actions of voting the APC into power. It will be pertinent, Mr. President sir, to proceed on a personal fact finding mission to the Nigerian streets, irrespective of bias, to find out the true reflections and opinions of Nigerians toward your administration.

The flagrant disregard for the Rule of Law, Disobeying of Court Orders, Acute Nepotism, Selective Persecution, and Lack of Transparency are some of the ills very prevalent in the nation today. The various reports from Amnesty International and the U.S. Department of State have gravely indicted this administration. It is in this vein, Mr. President, that I urge you to give regard to the Rule of Law as the continuous incarceration of perceived enemies, without obedience to court orders, has become an enormous albatross confronting your government. Many a people believe that the duo of Sheikh EL Zak Zaky and the erstwhile NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtf), are some of the personal witch-hunt of your administration, and therefore having preached peace and reconciliation during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Nigerians would be interested to see if they will be set free, to at least allow for the Rule of Law take its course.

The infighting within the National Assembly and the clamp down on opposition voices is clearly in sharp contrast to the democracy that was envisaged and clamoured for by Nigerians before your inception. As we draw near to another election year, it will be beneficial to your administration that these concerns are vigorously addressed, so as to usher in a ray of hope for a better Nigeria as envisioned by MKO Abiola himself. The EKITI and OSUN elections will be a litmus test for all Nigerians to attest, if indeed, what is to come in 2019 will be anything to go by. Having preached peace and perseverance to all Nigerians, your actions or inactions will be very vital as we approach these elections.

I would conclude by leaving you with this words that: "If the position is that the June 12th sensationalism is beyond the personification of Chief MKO Abiola GCFR, and more about the memorial and honour of the protagonist that advocated and sacrificed for democratic tenets, then the moral, socio-political, and emotional modus operandi of its proponents must unequivocally demonstrate the Rule of Law, which is intrinsically the Blood of Democracy. Any move, in whatever class, shade, or shape that is short of upholding the Rule of Law is simply shenanigans. No matter who and how many people approve of the gesture. God loves, because He is Love. Also, God gives Justice, because he is just.” Copied.

With best regards.

Yours sincerely,

Comrade Timi Frank

Deputy National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress

timifrank40@gmail.com

07033555555


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/timi-frank-writes-open-leter-buhari/

This is not about the fear of APC, this is how he live his life.

ojun50:
The fear of Apc is making them to pray hard

Images circulating twitter and the entire social media of 4 generations of a Caucasian family slaying in Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Jersey is absolutely stunning. Apparently more foreigners have been spotted rocking these Jerseys then the actual Nigerians.

Could this be a new trend coming into slay?

See tweet and photos;

http://wdn.com.ng/white-family-attempts-to-break-the-internet-in-smashing-nigerian-jersey-photos/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday denied reports that key leaders of the party had endorsed one of its presidential aspirants as candidate for the 2019 elections.

The party made the denial in a statement issued by its National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd) in Abuja.

Akobundu said that the reports were calculated to create confusion in the party, adding that the party’s ticket was opened for contest.

He explained that at no time did leadership or any group in the party endorsed any aspirant for the presidential election, saying that nothing could be farther from the truth.

“It is calculated to create confusion,” Akobundu said and reminded Nigerians that the Uche Secondus led- National Working Committee of the party had repeatedly made it clear that party congresses would be free, fair and transparent.

According to him, the rebranded PDP has no room for impunity and imposition of candidates.

He explained that the transparent primaries conducted in Ekiti state in May was a testimony to the fact that PDP was determined to pursue rule-driven processes.

Akobundu assured party members, particularly presidential aspirants and their supporters, that the contest would be open and transparent, and that Nigerians would be happy at the outcome. (NAN)

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/pdp-denies-endorsing-presidential-aspirant/

Donald Duke is good but Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo is better

Dankwambo is the real deal come 2019

A motor-cycle rider was earlier split in half by a BRT bus which lost control 3rd mainland Bridge. It was gathered from LASTMA operatives on the scene that he had lost his Job earlier in the day from the letter found on his person.


http://wdn.com.ng/breaking-news-man-who-just-got-fired-gets-split-in-half-by-a-brt-bus-in-lagos/

More picture.

Earlier today, a hand cart pusher by the name Idris Yusuf, 29, was apprehended by Operatives of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), with 27 bags filled with human feaces under the bridge at Daleko, Mushin.
The House where the waste was said to have originated has since been sealed by the authorities.
Idris was charged with Unsanitary and Illegal disposal of Human Waste.

See photos:

http://wdn.com.ng/what-a-shitty-day-cart-pusher-caught-with-27-bags-of-human-waste-in-lagos/

OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIANS ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF MY SECURITY.


It has become imperative for me to use this medium to bring to the attention of the general public, as well as members of the international community that on Wednesday 6th June, 2018, the Federal Government ordered the withdrawal of my police security aides. Even though no reason has been given for this sudden action by the police authorities, I believe that it is connected with my fight to preserve the nation's democracy by speaking out against anti-democratic tendencies and clamouring for adherence to the rule of law under the present administration.


I also have it on good authority that a directive has been given for my immediate arrest and detention. It has also come to my knowledge that a frontline Minister in the present administration is going round media houses and online media and threatening them to either stop publishing and airing my views on national issues or face sanctions from the government. 


Recall that in recent weeks, I have caused four open letters to be published in major national newspapers. In one of the letters, I passionately pleaded with Mr. President to stop security agencies from harassing and intimidating Nigerians especially those perceived as enemies of the administration. I also called on relevant security and anti-graft agencies, to follow due process in the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.


I had equally called on the leaders of the international community, like the President of the United States, Donald Trump, Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres and the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, to prevail on the present administration to respect the sanctity of human lives, uphold the fundamental human rights of Nigerians, stop the intimidation and harassment of innocent citizens; and to make sure that the ongoing fight against corruption is conducted according to the principles of fairness, equity and justice. I had decried a situation where personalities mainly from the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) arm of our party, the All Progressives Congress, are being selectively targeted for persecution in the guise of fighting corruption.


I dare say that the withdrawal of my police security aides and from other deserving Nigerians has become the modus operandi of this government in silencing the opposition. Recently, security aides of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara were equally reduced. Those attached to Senators and House of Representatives members considered to be critical of the policies and programmes of the present administration are equally being recalled.



I also want to state that impunity in the country is moving from bad to worse as evidenced by the withdrawal of my security and my being marked for arrest and prosecution, simply because I have not ceased to speak up against acts of injustice, intimidation and harassment of Nigerians, since the inception of this government.


This plot against me shows that the Nigeria Police which is supposed to protect all Nigerians has become personalized and is being used to protect only those singing the praises of the present administration. This effectively shows that the last administration was more democratic and tolerant than the present one because despite my incessant criticism of the Jonathan's administration, he never ordered the withdrawal my police aides, as well as those of all opposition members now in government who were opposed to Jonathan and his government as at that time. This unwarranted action by the Government against me, I must say, is meant to expose me to grave danger and personal harm with the aim to permanently shut me up. 


Nigerians had expected leaders in this administration to learn to tolerate criticism from the opposition as a common feature in any democratic setting. Take South Africa, for example, where a member of parliament and leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, Julius Malema, often criticizes the President of South Africa without his security aides being withdrawn or him breing framed-up for arrest and prosecution.


I want to make it categorically clear however, that no amount of intimidation, harassment and arrest will make me to close my eyes and mouth in the face of ongoing human rights violations and actions capable of truncating the nation's democracy, being perpetrated by the present administration. I solemnly reiterate my resolve to pay the supreme sacrifice if that is what is required to ensure freedom, respect for human dignity and good governance in Nigeria. However, I want to use this opportunity to inform Nigerians that the present administration should be held responsible should any harm befall me.


Finally, I urge Nigerians to rise up in defense of democracy. I also urge the National Assembly not to relent in providing leadership to ensure the sustenance of our democracy. I equally call on Civil Society Organizations and labour unions not to gloss over glaring threats against the nation's democracy. The time to speak up is now. 



Comrade Timi  Frank 

Deputy National Publicity Secretary  

All Progressives Congress  

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555

National Honours: President Buhari's Action Smacks of Desperation, Hypocrisy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the national honour proposed to be conferred on the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993, Chief MKO Abiola, by President Muhammadu Buhari, smacks of hypocrisy and political desperation ahead of 2019 presidential election.

PDP declares that President Buhari's action merely sought to use the name and person of Chief Abiola to gain a political capital and not out of genuine reverence and recognition for him.

The party recalls that President Buhari, who was serving in the military administration of General Sani Abacha during the travails of Chief MKO Abiola, did not associate either by words or actions with the late winner of June 12 election.

The party further stated that history did not record President Buhari as sympathetic to the Abiola's family when his wife, Kudirat, was gruesomely murdered by the agents of a government which President Buhari served.

It is therefore a sign of political desperation for President Buhari to seek to use Chief Abiola's name as a tool to sway Nigerians in less than twelve months to an election where he, (President Buhari) is seeking a second term.

It is also shocking that the respectable grave of Abiola can be dishonoured by granting a posthumous award on him along with someone who denounced the June 12 mandate and preferred the company of his (Abiola's) traducers.

Even those who now masquerade as change agents were opposed to the naming of University of Lagos after Chief Abiola.

If President Buhari genuinely wants to honour Chief Abiola, he should do so by ending all anti-democratic proclivities of his administration and allow for the rule of law and respect for our constitution.

The PDP therefore urges President Buhari to shed his desperate actions in his quest to win the 2019 presidential election as Nigerians can no longer be deceived by such antics.



http://punchng.com/you-cant-use-mko-abiolas-name-to-win-election-pdp-tells-buhari/

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE U.K., H.E. THERESA MAY


H.E. Theresa May

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Thru: The British Ambassador to Nigeria

Abuja - FCT.


Your Excellency,


WHY SARAKI's PERSECUTION IS DANGEROUS TO NIGERIA's DEMOCRACY



I write to intimate you that democracy in Nigeria is being driven to a precarious state as a result of a new regime of persecution, intimidation, repression and suppression being meted out against perceived political opponents in the country. My purpose is to seek the urgent intervention of your humble self and the U.K. Parliament in preventing inhuman acts being carried out against innocent Nigerians in order to subjugate and crowd out credible opponents ahead of the 2019 general elections. I wish to inform you that in view of the unbearable events taking place in the country, I have written similar letters of appeal to the President of the United States, Donald Trump and the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, calling for their urgent intervention to safeguard the nation's democracy.


I believe that you are not oblivious of the current political developments in Nigeria capable of scuttling the nation's democracy if not checked. This letter is not intended to make you violate the sovereignty of the country, but to appeal to you to use yours good offices to dissuade the present administration and its agents from continuing with their present action of spreading fear in the interest of the nation's democracy and to guarantee the people's inalienable rights to free of speech, press, association and freedom from fear, intimidation and harassment. 


The frame-up and trial of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and a vast number of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, by the agents of the presidency is a sure sign that unless the leaders of the free world come to the aid of the country, conditions will deteriorate irretrievably.


Nigerians are alarmed at the dehumanizing campaign being waged by its own government against free citizens through incessant arrests, detention and trial of the innocent in the name of anti-corruption war, which has been generally acknowledged to be highly selective, going by the manner it is being conducted. 


It has come to our knowledge that the executive and its henchmen have concluded plans to force the impeachment of Saraki and Dogara as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively. Already, the government is about to drag Dogara and some of his colleagues to court over allegations of budget padding earlier raised by a suspended lawmaker. Recently, a court purportedly directed the Federal Government to prosecute all the accused persons fingered in the budget padding scandal of which Dogara is number one. Even though  Saraki has been on trial over alleged false asset declaration since 2015, new attempts are being made to link him with criminal elements as a way to gag him and his teaming supporters ahead of the up coming general elections.


Already the government has commenced phased withdrawal of security personnel attached to Saraki and Dogara, in a bid to expose them to danger and personal harm, ahead of the plot to forcefully remove them as presiding officers of the National Assembly. However, be it known to you and the U.K. Parliament that any attempt to compel the impeachment of the two presiding officers of the 8th National Assembly will be resisted by Nigerians just like the attempt to link Saraki with the Offa bank robbery suspects has been vehemently rejected across the country. This is one of the reasons the nPDP bloc of the APC is threatening to pull out of the alliance having realized that its members are being deliberately targeted for persecution. 


Let it be known that the entire National Assembly is is on trial under the present administration. The trial of Saraki, spurious allegations against the Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, the invasion of the Senate by sponsored thugs, the arrest and detention of senators Dino Melaye, Peter Uwaoboshi, Bassey Albert Akpan, Stella Oduah, the ongoing trial of Senator Isa Misau by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice over his differences with the Inspector General of Police and the attack on Senator Matthew Urhoghide at the Benin Airport for daring to speak up against constitutional breaches by the present administration goes to show that the National Assembly has come under executive siege and may collapse unless something is done urgently to reverse the trend of attacks against the lawmakers. However, democracy in Nigeria may cease to exist if the ferocious attacks against the National Assembly is allowed to continue. 


I believe that the ordeal of the President of the Senate under the present administration, characteristically typifies the venomous zeal which has turned the agents of the state into instruments of victimization against its own people. You will agree with me that if the number three citizen of a country can be made to undergo such tremendous vilification, like the case of Saraki who worked assiduously to bring this government to power, then there is no hope for members of the opposition political parties and common citizens. A question the U.K. Government should ask is: How come anybody believed to be opposed to the policies of the present administration will sooner than later be accused of being corrupt and a sponsor of armed robbery and murders? 


In view of the incessant attacks against its members and flagrant constitutional breaches by the executive, the National Assembly held a joint executive session Tuesday, June 5th, 2018, where it resolved to invoke its Constitutional powers to safeguard democracy, halt killings in the land and the anti-democratic acts of the executive and its agents. The National Assembly said and I quote: "Finally, the National Assembly will not hesitate to invoke its Constitutional powers if nothing is done to address the above resolutions passed today."


Permit me to say that Nigeria at this moment is at a cross-road politically and urgently requires the intervention of allies and friendly governments to sustain its hard earned democracy through the restoration of the rule of law, peace, unity and good governance. The world cannot afford to take passing interest in the ongoing political terror eclipsing the country at this time without risking grave humanitarian conditions that may result if law and order is allowed to breakdown completely. 


This is why I am calling on you and the U.K. Parliament to prevail on the executive to halt their sinister campaign capable to truncating the nation's democracy and to halt all manner of human rights abuses in the country. As things stand, nobody knows who will be the next victim of government's anti-democratic and inhuman activities. It is my hope that you will spare a thought for Nigeria - as a proud member of the Common Wealth - and once again help us to navigate our way out of the present political darkness about to overwhelm the country.



With best regards.



Yours  sincerely, 



Comrade Timi  Frank 

Deputy National Publicity Secretary  

All Progressives Congress  

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555 




https://leadership.ng/2018/06/06/help-nigeria-out-frank-begs-british-pm/

OPEN LETTER TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS


Mr. Antonio Guterres 

Secretary General of the United Nations

Thru: The UN High Level Representative to Nigeria

U. N. Building, Plot 617/618, Diplomatic Drive

Central Business District

Abuja - FCT.


Dear sir, 

PERSECUTION OF SARAKI AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR DEMOCRACY

I write to update you on the increasing political intolerance, terror and persecution being unleashed against perceived opponents of the present administration in Nigeria-led by President Muhammadu Buhari and to seek your urgent intervention to prevent an imminent breakdown of law and order capable of truncating the nation's democracy. 


Recall that last week, I wrote a similar letter to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, on the need for the international community to save Nigeria from the current political terror against highly placed and innocent Nigerians as the country approaches the 2019 general elections which is about nine months away.


The political scenario is Nigeria and the highhandedness of the executive and its agents against law abiding Nigerians is becoming unbearable and unless something is done urgently to salvage the situation, our hard earned democracy will be plagued by disaster of unimaginable proportion. This call is premised on the old wise saying that a stitch in time, saves nine. 


Today, the entire country is in a dilemma. While terrorists, insurgents and other criminal elements are having a field day in many parts of the country, citizens are also being framed-up and hounded by security agencies on the direct orders of the executive in order to retain power. The police that is supposed to protect the people is being used as an instrument of intimidation and brutality against law abiding citizens. I don't think I need to recount the ongoing ordeal of Senator Dino Melaye because his humiliation and persecution by the agents of state is known even to the little children. I don't also consider it necessary to refer to the frame-up of Senator Shehu Sani as having links with murder suspects in Kaduna. The incessant arrest of opposition PDP members would take an entire page of this write-up were I to chronicle them. 


Only yesterday, the police, not tired of subterfuge came up with bizarre claims that robbery suspects arrested in connection with the Offa Bank robbery have implicated the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Recall that Saraki had two weeks ago raised an alarm about the directive from the Force Headquarters to transfer cultists and murder suspects arrested and being prosecuted in Ilorin, Kwara State, to Abuja, in a bid to tutor them to implicate him and the governor of the State, Abdulfatah Ahmed. Following the uproar, the police became silent for a while and have now decided to use the Offa robbery suspects to achieve their sinister goal against the President of the Senate.


I want you to note that the police on this occasion have not said anything new. What they wanted to achieve through the surreptitious transfer of arrested cultists and murder suspects from Ilorin to Abuja, they have now achieved through the Offa bank robbery suspects. Unfortunately, the President has not deemed it fit to call his stray agents to order in spite of the formal report on the issue made to him by a panel set up by the Senate following the alarm raised by Saraki on the impending fraudulent indictment about two weeks ago. 


I dare say that the President of the Senate is a man of integrity and high moral standing. Apart from his noble parentage, he has held several positions of trust in the private and public sectors of the economy. Some being his directorship of a bank, special assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on budget matters, two time Governor of Kwara State, Senator and now President of the Senate. He is also a major player in the global arena as a former President of Globe Nigeria and other international engagements. Over the years, his character has remained untainted and his reputation solid. Even under the last administration where he played a pivotal opposition role, all efforts to implicate him failed as several investigations raised against him found him blameless.


Unfortunately, the present government has been out to bring him down by all means since the inception of this administration. He is currently facing trial on allegation of false asset declaration. He was accused along side his deputy of forging the Senate rules - a case that later collapsed following the inability of the government to concoct plausible evidence against them in court. The recent efforts by government to get him at all cost has led to blatant lies, harassment, intimidation and blackmail to damage his reputation and paint him black before the eyes of right thinking members of the public.  The goal of the government is to make political capital out his anticipated fall and reap bounteously from the sordid enterprise in the 2019 general elections.  


Permit me to say that Saraki remains a credible and responsible Nigerian and my call is not to say that he is above the law. If there is any genuine reason that would warrant him to account for any of his actions, I believe he will gladly do so as a law abiding citizen. However, using gestapo tactics to blackmail and try to hang a criminal charge on him would be tantamount to wickedness, repression and dictatorship. If they have anything against him, let them follow due process according to law. I believe that as a man who respects and believes in the rule of law, Saraki is at anytime ready to defend himself before a court of competent jurisdiction just like he has been faithful in doing same before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). There is a rising apprehension among the vast majority of Nigerians that if this atmosphere of  intimidation being unleashed against the opposition in the country is allowed to continue unchecked, our democracy might suffer an incalculable damage and irreparable crash. God forbid!


My joy is that you are well aware of these evil antics playing out in Nigeria and their implication for peace, unity, order, good governance and the rule of law in the most populous black nation in the world. What I am not sure of is your reaction to the incessant human rights abuses, harassment of opposition members and the covert forceful persecution of well placed Nigerians in order to get them to support the reelection bid of President Buhari, against their will. 


I therefore call on you and the leaders of the G-7 nations to intervene to prevent this looming catastrophe in Nigeria. I believe that prevention would be better than cure in this case because if highly placed Nigerians like the President of the Senate are being made to undergo these indignities, then there is no hope for democracy and rule of law which is about the preservation, welfare and protection of the common man. The country is dire political straits and we need your timely intervention to restore peace rule of law. 


Yours  sincerely, 


Comrade Timi  Frank 

Deputy National Publicity Secretary  

All Progressives Congress  

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555

President Donald Trump 

Through: 

Ambassador Stuart Symington 

United States  Ambassador to Nigeria 

U.S. Embassy, 

Diplomatic Drive  

Central Business  District  

Abuja - Nigeria.  


URGENT NEED TO SAVE NIGERIA'S  DEMOCRACY 

Sir, 

It is with great delight that I write you this letter, hoping that it meets you well. I congratulate you for having kept to your promise of "America first" so far in all your policies and programmes since assumption of office. Permit me to say that this is not my first letter to an American President, as I made a similar appeal to President Barack Obama in 2015, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, intimating him of the failings inherent in that government and thankfully he acted on the letter. I believe you will also take heed of the urgency of this appeal and act accordingly. 


Indeed, your effort to make good on your electioneering promises to the American people and the world, is widely acknowledged and appreciated by all lovers of democracy. However, it is rather unfortunate that in my country, for which I now write to seek your intervention, your friend, President Muhammadu Buhari, is largely paying lip service to his promises and has refused to follow the rule of law in the exercise of his powers under a democratic setting. Democracy in Nigeria is currently facing some of its most severe threats and unless something is done, it could be derailed and jeopardised altogether. 


Your Excellency sir, while you daily work to advance the cause of the United States, the Nigerian situation under the present administration, led by the ruling All Progressives Congress, has failed to promote the nation's interest and work for the sustenance of our democracy. It was most unfortunate that when President Buhari visited you recently, he minced words on the true situation of the current happenings in the country, which pose a great threat to our national fabric of Unity, Peace and Progress. 


How do I mean? The ruling APC and President Buhari were ecstatically embraced by Nigerians and voted into office with a promise to fight corruption, insecurity and grow the economy in 2015. However, three years on, prevailing maladministration and insecurity have left everyone spell bound, as wanton killings by herdsmen, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, corruption and insurgency in the north-east still ravage the country unabated. Furthermore, the cost of fighting these deadly malaise continues to skyrocket without corresponding mitigation in insecurity. A recent example is the withdrawal of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to fight Boko Haram and other security challenges across the country, by the Executive in collaboration with the National Economic Council, without due recourse to the National Assembly for statutory approval. More so, need I mention that the recent advance payment of $496million to your country for the purchase of 12 Tucano fighter jets, by the Buhari-led Federal Executive Council, was done in complete violation of extant laws regarding such purchases. I must say that that action remains illegal, criminal and a breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which empowers the National Assembly to approve all expenditures of the executive. I am aware that the United States is a nation ruled by laws and therefore cannot condone impunity and illegality of this nature - no matter the amount of benefits accruable to it from the sale. I would therefore, kindly appeal to you, to use your good offices to ensure that the $496million is repatriated into the Nigerian coffers and the deal renegotiated and made to follow due process. 


I want to also appeal to you to help save our democracy by prevailing on President Buhari and his administration to respect the fundamental Human Rights of Nigerians. The right to life, freedom of association, freedom of speech and freedom from fear, torture and molestation which are irreducible minimums in any democratic setting, have taken the back seat since this administration came into power.  Unfortunately, these rights are being denied under the guise of fighting corruption by the Executive and its agents. Permit me to say that the fight against corruption by the Buhari government is laudable but grossly selective. I am by no means saying the Nigerian government should not investigate and prosecute corrupt officials or those found to have looted the public treasury. I support the fight against corruption and thus use this opportunity to call on the American government to help Nigeria to win the fight against corruption. However, this letter is to intimate you on the true situation about the ongoing fight against corruption in Nigeria, which is highly selective and partisan instead of being transparent and fair. While members of the opposition PDP and nPDP are being hunted and liquidated in the name of fighting corruption, fraud allegations against close aides/allies of the President and other favoured members of the coalition that fused to form the APC are being consistently swept under the carpet, with the culprits allowed to live freely without any form of legal repercussion.


Regrettably sir, Nigerians are no longer free to express themselves or to criticise the activities and policies of the government without being assaulted or clamped down upon. For example, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was one of those who supported Buhari and the APC to win the 2015  general elections, but today, has been branded an enemy of the state because he is criticizing the wrongdoings and failings of the administration. 


Similarly, I dare say that the harassment, coercion, intimidation and humiliation being meted out on the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, is basically because he emerged as the President of the Senate against the wishes of some  powerful and influential members of the ruling party in  2015 and not because he is corrupt as being claimed by some agents of the executive. It is worthy of note, that H.E. Saraki  belongs to the nPDP stock of the APC and his unjust trial and persecution over charges of false asset declaration since 2015 coupled with new attempts to link him with arrested murder suspects and cultists in his home state of Kwara, points to the selective nature of the fight against corruption being waged by the Buhari-administration. Note that the political onslaught against Saraki and the National Assembly under his leadership, culminated recently in the invasion of the Senate Chambers by sponsored thugs, who forcefully took away its mace and symbol of authority, without the prosecution of the perpetrators. Besides, facts have recently emerged to buttress this assertion about political persecution of perceived opponents of the government. A Special Investigator engaged by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property, Evangelist Victor Uwajeh, recently revealed that he was specifically directed to investigate Saraki and other PDP stalwarts who have been marked for persecution by the Buhari-led administration. Uwajeh, in a statement published by the Cable, an online newspaper, said the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property, established by the Buhari's administration, was specifically created to investigate Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Stella Oduah, Senator Albert Bassay Akpan, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Femi Fani Kayode, Senator James Manager, Governor Nyesom Wike, Senator Jonah Jang, Patience Jonathan and the current National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, among others. 


Kindly note that apart from HE Saraki, all other persons listed above are members of the opposition party, PDP.  Mr. Uwajeh's statement, I must say has practically vindicated HE Saraki and other opposition members currently on trial that the allegations against them were politically motivated. Uwajeh had unequivocally stated that his refusal to work with the APC-led Government to humiliate the so-called enemies of Government has led him into exile.


I write to you because Nigeria and America have a long history of friendly relations, added to our system of government which is modeled after that of the United States. Much as the United States and other national governments assisted Nigeria to return to democracy from military dictatorship in the past and has continued to support the nation's fight against insurgency and corruption, it is time to come to our aid once again in order to sustain our democracy and maintain strict adherence to the rule of law. I believe you are better placed to advice the current leadership on the need to obey the rule of law and be impartial in its ongoing anti-corruption campaign. 


I humbly invite you to work with other defenders of democracy, freedom and human rights across the world, like the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN) and organizations like the Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc, to ensure that the present gagging of the press and opposition political party members in Nigeria do not degenerate further. Help us to prevent imminent breakdown of law and order that may result to chaos and anarchy if the current atmosphere of government's orchestrated harassment, intimidation, coercion, denial of the right to free speech and outright repression of perceived enemies of the administration, is allowed to continue unabated.


I thank you in anticipation that you will take positive steps to liaise with your friend, President Muhammadu Buhari, in order to prevent escalation of anti-democratic acts by agents of the administration. 


Long live U.S.A.! 

Long live the  Federal Republic of Nigeria! 


Yours  sincerely, 


Comrade Timi  Frank 

Deputy National Publicity Secretary  

All Progressives Congress  

timifrank40@gmail.com 

07033555555

Dankwambo, You have my support come 2019.

Timi is only reaffirming the obvious.

cc; lalasticlala mynd44 missyb3 fynestboi

Dear Sir,


I write this letter to you, Mr. President, with all sincerity and humility, as it is my very first letter to you since your emergence as President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of our great country, Nigeria.  


I would first of all like to use this opportunity to formally apologise to the  immediate past President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for all the tantrums and mistreatment orchestrated by me against his person while he held sway at the helm of affairs of our great country. 


Indeed, I and many others may have misunderstood Jonathan's silence for weakness and thus pushed harder to malign his person and portray him as a weak leader. Having achieved the Change Agenda, it is now crystal clear, that the change we had clamoured for is not the change we got.


While this may have come as a rude shock to some of us who preached the change mantra assiduously, particularly the youth, I am consoled by the fact that, Nigeria shall get to the promise land someday and our generations yet unborn will appreciate the genuine efforts made by those of us who stood on the path of truth, rather than being praise singers sycophants. 


Mr. President, I am sure that the current state of our dear country should be a cause of genuine concern, as the symptoms of the ailment you had come to cure seem to have morphed into a killer virus waiting to consume its patient (Nigeria) as the clock ticks away. 


The damning assessment of Nigeria under your leadership as released by the United States Department of State in its 2017 country reports on Human Rights, cited impunity as being widespread at all levels of government and lack of transparency by your administration. The report noted that massive corruption by government officials and security agencies is on the rise with most perpetrators being shielded from trial, thus giving room for reckless practices with impunity. The report stated that, “although the law provides for criminal penalties for conviction of official corruption, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity...massive, widespread and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government and the security services." 


Today there is hardship everywhere with the price of fuel now N145 per as against the N85 that it was being sold when you assumed office - the over N1.4trillion already paid by your government as fuel subsidy notwithstanding. You will agree with me, Mr. President, that a report of this magnitude coming from a foreign government should be a cause for serious concern as it posits that your Anti-Corruption Agenda  is merely a hoax. Furthermore, your famous slogan of “belonging to everybody and belonging to nobody” has turned out to be a mere Public Relations gimmick, meant to soothe the egos of the spectators that were present at your historic swearing-in-ceremony. 


Other assessment cited by the report include the extra judicial killing of IPOB members, Col. Sambo Dasuki’s continuous incarceration, widespread human rights abuses and flagrant disregard for the Rule of Law, under this administration. 


You will recall, Mr. President, that a similar report from the Transparency International (TI) was rubbished by your Ministers who claimed the global body was biased in its assessment. Surely, both agencies could not have conspired to tarnish the reputation of your government, as Nigerians can also decipher the high partiality and nepotism being practised by your government, which represents a new low in the history of governance in Nigeria. 


I would therefore recommend that your Special Adviser on Media and Publicity should grab a copy of THISDAY Newspaper of Tuesday, 24 April 2018 and perhaps brief you further on the report, in the event that the content of the report has not been brought to your attention.Mr. President, it may also interest you to know that the economy under your watch has been terribly battered, with all the economic indices indicating that we are yet to recover from the recession of 2016, owing to your ill conceived policies as against the rhetoric of the erstwhile administration being responsible for our woes.


The GDP growth before you took over government and three years after being in the saddle of governance attests to woeful failure of government policies while gambling with the nation’s economic gains. The high unemployment and poverty rate as released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) should be a cause of concern to any well-meaning Nigerian, as the masses can barely survive with their current meagre income which leaves them with little or no savings to embark on other meaningful economic ventures to better their lot. 


Furthermore sir, I am sure that you’re aware that the level of insecurity in the country now has reached an all time high with an average of at least 50 deaths weekly to the bewilderment of the an already wearied population, whose hopes are dashed on a daily basis. Only last week over 120 persons were kidnapped along the Birnin-Gwari Road in Kaduna State. The farmers/herders crises has continued to claim precious lives as if the nation is in a state of war. Moreover, the statement credited to you that the killer herdsmen were trained by the late Moumar Gadaffi of Libya is most unfortunate as nothing is being done to police the borders in order to prevent them from coming in as well as declaring a state of emergency on these murderous killers.  


More so, the statement credited to former Minister of Defence, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma came as another rude shock to Nigerians on the state of our security architecture in the nation, not also forgetting the statements attributed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, reemphasising, that the government under your watch has failed Nigerians. 


Surely, the opinions of your comrades cannot all be a farce, but rather a wakeup call to your administration that all is indeed not well with the nation. This is why I dare say that a re-election bid in the wake of this wanton killings and widespread sacrilege in the land, is definitely not the right thing to do at this time in a country engulfed with so much bloodletting. Permit me to say that as things stand today, Nigeria, under your government, has become increasingly autocratic. 


Instead of enhancing freedom and rule of law, our democratic gains are being frittered away under the pretext of fighting corruption. The rights to freedom of speech and association are increasingly being denied. People can no longer freely express themselves without security agencies harassing, accusing, arresting, parading, and prosecuting them like common criminals over spurious allegations.


I dare say that I am by this letter offering myself to pay whatever price it will take for Nigeria to be free once again. I know your goons will soon come after me but I am not bothered a bit. I will continue to speak the truth. I spoke the truth when Jonathan, my kinsman, was in power and I will continue to speak the truth. Be that as it may, the truth is that you have destroyed our democracy so much so that Nigerians are now living in fear. 


Under your tenure the rule of law has been replaced with the rule of force. You have injected fear into the society. People who voted for you to save them from corruption and ineptitude have been barred from speaking up against the myriads of evil and wicked acts being perpetrated by officials in your government. 


Unfortunately, corruption is in the upward swing under your watch. This is why I had to apologize to Jonathan since events of the last three years have shown the former President was a better leader. People freely expressed themselves under Jonathan's administration without fear of being branded cultists' sponsors, gunrunners or aiding murderers. But not so under this administration.


Under Jonathan, Nigerians enjoyed freedom of speech, association and right to hold dissenting views including organizing and partaking in protests against unwelcome government policies. All these are no go areas today. Does it mean Jonathan was a better democrat? It is a fact that no member of the APC which was then in the opposition before 2015 was jailed or harassed for expressing dissent. 


However, under this administration, the Senate President is being persecuted, Senator Dino Melaye has been arrested and detained like a common criminal, Senator Matthew Urhroghide had been attached for telling Nigerians that the Federal Government breached the Constitution by paying the sum of $496million for 12 Tucano fighter jets without National Assembly approval; the trial of Senator Isa Misau by the AGF over his face-off with the Inspector General of Police, the persecution of most members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the name of fighting corruption are all examples of intolerance under this administration.

 

Mr. President, while your fight against corruption is being promoted as gathering steam leading to an award given to you by the African Union (AU) recently, the allegation of illegal award of $25billion contracts leveled against the GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has not been investigated but rather the malfeasance and shoddy dealing in the NNPC has been swept under the carpet because as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources any probe of the agency will require that you make some explanations.


This government has shown total disdain for court pronouncements and the enforcement of fundamental human rights of citizens. El-Zakzaky and Dasuki will not be in jail today but for the present rule of force under this government. It is a pity that today democracy and freedom have become scarce. Insecurity continues unabated. Killings take place on a daily basis across the country either by kidnappers, Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen, and other criminal elements having a free reign around the country. Life has become worthless and uncertain and people cannot speak out for fear of being labeled anti-government by your regime. Besides, instead of heeding the wise counsel of leaders like Obasanjo, IBB, TY. Danjuma, General Gowon, and religious leaders like Bakare and Oyedepo, you have again declared to seek reelection as President. You even boasted in Bauchi that you will be reelected which was akin to saying you will rig yourself back into office. The worse acts of corruption are being perpetuated under your regime, but people are keeping quiet because of fear of reprisals. This cannot continue. You met Democracy and freedom in 2015, when you leave office, there will still be democracy and freedom for the people. Nigeria will not end with you. Before you, others came, but today where are they? Under this regime, the homes of Honourabe Justices were forcefully broken into and ransacked. Many of them were suspended  and are currently being prosecuted by agents of the executive. If this is not intimidation of the highest order what is it? Despite immunity conferred in him by the Constitution, the home of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State was raided. The Governor of Rivers State had to approach the courts for an injunction to forestall a similar treatment being meted on him. Is it not curious that Senator Shehu Sani and Dino Melaye have been framed up as being connected to criminal murder suspects just because they politically differ with their state governors? It is not also true that Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State are now being roped into the case of alleged cultists and murder suspects arrested in Ilorin?  If this is not harassment, intimidation and humiliation of perceived opponents of your administration, then what is it? 


Don't forget that the Senate led by Saraki has been in a ding-dong with the Inspector General of Police for refusing to honour the legitimate summons of the upper chamber. The plot to once again implicate Saraki in murder activities using alleged cult members earlier arrested in Kwara State is a new low in the antics of this administration to harass, intimidate and humiliate members of the opposition especially those of the defunct New PDP arm of the APC. 


The recent attack on the Rivers State Judiciary, the invasion of the Senate and forceful theft of its mace without arrests or word of condemnation by you make the security situation worse and worrisome. 


The vehemence with which members of the opposition and the New PDP arm of the APC are being persecuted makes one to wonder why close aides of yours and other high officials in this administration with criminals allegations against them are not equally being prosecuted.


Are you no longer for everybody and belong to nobody? What is good for PDP and New PDP members ought to be good for members of the CPC, ACN, ANPP and a faction of APGA in the APC as well. The reality is that members of the APC are sacred cows that can do no wrong.This growing intolerance, repression and coercion against innocent citizens has led me to the painful resolve to once again offer myself as a sacrificial lamb to pay the price for Nigeria's total emancipation from the shackles of tyranny being perpetuated by your government. 


I therefore, urge all Nigerians to wake up and face the current realities and save Nigeria from total collapse under the jackboots of impunity by this administration. History will not be fair to me if I had championed the campaigns against former President Jonathan and now remain silent in the face of anti-democratic tendencies and sheer impunity. 


It is my sincere hope that this letter meets you well. I also hope that my outburst will not be seen from the angle of disrespect, but rather of despair and urgency. I believe it is high time for you, as the President and Commander-In-Chief to arrest the situation and restore peace, security and rule of law in the country and confidence in the people once more. 


God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


With best regards


Comrade Timi Frank 

Deputy National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress 07033555555

https://www.naija.ng/1170530-apc-chieftain-timi-frank-laments-state-nation-open-letter-buhari.html#1170530


cc; lalasticlala mynd44 missyb3 fynestboi

fake news... Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo is loyal party man.

yes, God has indeed cursed APC... Even ordinary congress dem no fit conduct peacefully

johnmartus:
God has cursed the party already .meanwhile let me start prepare going back to my peaceful state until their blood bath election gone.

Rivers is PDP and PDP is Rivers...

Nairaland lazy youths go and get your PVC

Pictures....


cc; Lalasticlala

very good step! Buhari and his government must be called to order

There is ability in disability