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Timi Frank Lauds Amaechi for Revealing Who Hired INEC Chairman

Published

6 months ago

March 19, 2023

Eric

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, commended the a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for revealing those who truly appointed Professor Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Amaechi had while responding to questions from reporters after casting his vote in Rivers State on Saturday, disclosed that Professor Yakubu was nominated for appointment by a member of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s camp.

Amaechi, according to a video of the interview which has gone viral, said: “What advice? I have spoken to everybody concerned on this issue before the election.

“I have spoken especially to those of us who opposed the reappointment of Mahmood as INEC Chairman.

“The person who nominated him for appointment is a member of Tinubu’s camp. So what are you expecting? Success?

“He said, Mahmood worked under Wike as Executive Secretary of TETFUND when Wike was Minister of State for education”.

“So what you are having in Rivers State is that APC, SDP and others are contesting elections not against PDP but against INEC and against the Police.”

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, in his reaction to the revelation, thanked the former Governor of Rivers state for his boldness and courage in revealing that Yakubu was installed by Tinubu’s cabal to help rig the election in his favour and that of the APC.

He said that as a former top Minister under President Muhammadu Buhari and a chieftain of the APC, Amaechi was competent and credible enough to reveal those who facilitated the INEC’s job for Yakubu.

Frank said: “From day one, it is clear that the INEC Chairman did not have any good intention to give Nigerians a credible election but to just come and handover.

“He decided to deceive Nigerians and that is why he refused to follow the Commission’s own election guidelines because of the hatchet job he was prepared to do for those who facilitated his appointment into office.

“The INEC chairman needs to be arrested for lying and his refusal to follow the template and guidelines put in place by the commission, an act that is tantamount to criminality.

“The first and second elections were massively flawed by rigging and violence in most of the states.

“The last time we witnessed violence in Nigeria was during the 2011 general election. This election as corroborated by Amaechi, was not a contest between PDP and APC, but a contest between PDP and INEC and security agencies.”

He insisted that because the INEC Chairman owed overwhelming allegiance to Tinubu for appointing him to the job, all he did was to reward Tinubu with votes rather than conduct a free, fair and credible elections.

He said: “That is why the INEC chairman did not come out to conduct any election. He only came to reward Tinubu and the cabal that brought him into office.

“Based on Amaechi’s confession, he only came to reward the people that put him there rather than conduct a free and fair election.

“That is why he gave Nigeria to Tinubu and APC. Then gave Rivers state to Wike as there was no election in the state. He only rewarded his benefactor.

“We believe with this kind of evidence and proof that Amaechi has revealed, the INEC chairman lacks integrity and credibility to remain in office.

“With all of this, he needs to resign and go. Apart from immediate resignation, he should be arrested based on all the crimes he has committed and prosecuted for selling the will of the people to reward those who fought for him to be appointed for a second term in office.”

According to the Bayelsa-born political activist, Yakubu practically conducted the worst and most fraudulent election in the history of Nigeria because of an obligation he owed those who saw to his appointment.

He said the fraud and rigging perpetrated during the election show clearly that Buhari is not only culpable but a partner to the dirty marriage that culminated in the re-appointment of the INEC chairman.

“We expected Buhari to have left a legacy of free, fair and credible elections which he promised Nigerians but what has happened shows that he equally lacks integrity and honour to keep to his words.

“He came and benefitted from democracy peacefully, but turned around to destroy it.

“With this, we call on the international community to help Nigeria because we don’t have confidence in the government of today under Buhari,” he said.

He further called on the international community to urgently take strong measures against election riggers in the country like the INEC Chairman, security chiefs – police and others – that rigged the elections and fraudulently thwarted the will of the people.

He added: “In all of these, with the amount of rigging, intimidation, violence and allocation of votes that characterised the elections, we believe the nation’s Judiciary at the end of the day will be able to redeem our democracy by doing substantial justice to all petitions that would be brought before the courts.”

He prayed God to repose the souls of those who lost their lives as a result of violent attacks during the elections as well as sympathised with those who were injured and their families.

News

Eid-el-Maulud: Atiku Congratulates Muslims, Urges Tolerance, Peace

Published

18 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Eric

Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar has urged Muslims to emulate the examples of the noble Prophet Muhammed (SAW) through upholding teachings of honesty, forbearance, tolerance and commitment to peace.

Atiku made the call to Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud anniversary, marking the birthday of Prophet Muhammed (SAW).

The former Vice President also said it was important for religious leaders to use their positions of influence to spread unity, tolerance, and love for other people of different faiths.

He called on Nigerians not to despair amidst the uncertainties and difficulties they may be going through at the moment, but to be prepared to join hands with other compatriots in the task to reposition and rebuild the country of our dream by manifesting the virtues of compassion and commitment to peace.

“To celebrate the noble Prophet today (Wednesday) is to acknowledge the positive impact that his teachings brought to us as Muslim faithful and also sign on to the commitment of following his footsteps
“Therefore, as we celebrate Prophet Muhammed (SAW) today, it is an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of peaceful co-existence and the absolute submission to the will of the Almighty,” Atiku said.

He therefore congratulates Muslim faithful in Nigeria and across the globe on the celebration of this year’s Maulud, praying that Allah may grant His peace upon every family and humanity at large.

News

Zamfara Gov Accuses FG of Holding Meetings with Bandits, Says He Has Evidence

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2023

Eric

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has said his administration has enough facts to show that some officials of the Federal Government met secretly with bandits in the state.

On Monday, Lawal had claimed that some agencies of the Bola Tinubu-led government had entered a secret dialogue with the bandits after he ruled out the option of negotiating with criminals.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor said some government agencies engaged in negotiations with bandits without the knowledge of the state government and other security agencies.

Lawal, therefore, called for an urgent and comprehensive investigation by the Tinubu government into the secretive negotiations held with bandits in the state by the agencies.

In a swift reaction to the allegation, the Federal Government claimed that there was no truth in the claim that some of its agencies held a secret negotiation with bandits in Zamfara.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, however, accused the Zamfara government of politicising security in the state.

Responding to the minister, the Zamfara governor said he had evidence to expose some Federal Government agents involved in the negotiations with bandits.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Lawal stated that the Minister of Information should have conducted a thorough investigation before discrediting his government.

The governor, therefore, urged the federal government to take a firm stance against such activities and investigate the motives of those who engage in negotiating with the criminals.

The statement read in parts: “We sought clarification from the Federal Government regarding the sneaky negotiations with bandits carried out by some of its agents without recourse to the State Government and heads of Security agencies in the State.

“We have facts and evidence on what had transpired between these agents of the Federal Government and the bandits during the negotiations in several places across Zamfara.

“It is disappointing that the information minister discredited our claim without verifying it first. What is expected of him as a professional is to collaborate with relevant authorities to substantiate the claim’s authenticity.

“Zamfara State Government respects protocol and established authority. We would not come out in the media to start exposing the names of the Federal Government agents involved in the covert dialogue with bandits.

“We want to clarify that those individuals leading secret negotiations with bandits in Zamfara are politicising insecurity, not the State Government.

“The Information Minister’s statement claiming that there were no negotiations between government officials and bandits in Zamfara requires further clarification. We have already exposed a few locations where such talks were held with bandits, such as Birnin Magaji, Maradun, Mun Haye, Ajah, Bawo, and Bagege.

“Negotiating with bandits in Zamfara is a grave mistake we cannot afford to make. It is not the solution to the problem and only encourages and emboldens the criminals.

“We urge the Federal Government to take a firm stance against such activities and investigate the motives of those who engage in them.”

Opera News

News

Court Stops Ondo House of Assembly from Impeaching Deputy Governor, Aiyedatiwa

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2023

Eric

A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, halted the impeachment process of the Ondo State House of Assembly against the Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The House of Assembly commenced a move to impeach Aiyedatiwa over alleged gross misconduct.

The presiding Judge, Emeka Nwite, passed the ruling on Tuesday after the counsel to Aiyedatiwa, Kayode Adewusi, moved the ex-parte motion to the effect.

The judge also restrained the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor and forwarded the same to the lawmakers for approval pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

Justice Nwite held that after listening to Adewusi, he was of the view that the interest of justice would be met by granting the application.

He said, “Therefore, the application of the applicant succeeds.”

Recall that Aiyedatiwa in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, sued the Inspector-General (I-G) of the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Others are Gov. Akeredoku, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Ondo State and the House of Assembly as 1st to 6th respondents respectively.

In the application dated and filed by Mr Adelanke Akinrata on September 21, Aiyedatiwa sought four reliefs.

The judge further made an order of interim injunction restraining Akeredolu, his servants or privies from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing and preventing Aiyedatiwa from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Ondo State.

Justice Nwite, who granted all the reliefs adjourned the matter until Oct. 9 for hearing.

Aiyedatiwa also in another suit marked: AK/348/2023 prayed to the High Court in Akure to stop the state’s house of assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed in the court on Monday.