Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives
\nCongress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on the visiting German
\nChancellor, Angela Merkel, to help prevail on the President Muhammadu
\nBuhari-led government to adhere to the rule of law and respect the
\nfundamental human rights of Nigerians as part of her engagements during
\nher visit.<\/p>\n
Frank said this has become necessary to save democracy and also stem the
\ngrowing tide of intimidation, harassment, intolerance and desperation by
\nthe All Progressives Congress (APC) administration as the 2019 general
\nelections draw near.<\/p>\n
Frank said: \u201cRecall that I had about a month ago written an open letter to
\nyou with an humble request that you join hands with leaders of the
\ninternational community to save democracy in Nigeria. I wish to reiterate
\nthat call now that you are going to be here in Nigeria on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that your visit at this auspicious moment will to a large
\nextent help you to see the living condition of Nigerians and the slow pace
\nof infrastructural development in the country under the present
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am happy that you have already spoken out about ongoing impunity in the
\ncountry and I want to urge you to reinforce that message during your
\nconversations with President Buhari and members of his cabinet.<\/p>\n
\u201cPermit me to draw your attention to my suggestions to your counterpart in
\nthe United Kingdom, Theresa May, during her recent visit to Nigeria and
\nalso to urge you to equally seek answers to the questions I proposed to
\nher.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have decided to reproduce the 10 questions below for the avoidance of
\ndoubt which I want you seek answers to from President Buhari.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe questions Nigerians want Your Excellency to ask President Buhari
\ninclude:<\/p>\n
1. Is Buhari a democrat or an authoritarian\/dictatorial President?<\/p>\n
2. Is Buhari fighting corruption or shielding alleged corrupt persons who
\nnow find the APC under his leadership a safe haven to escape prosecution?<\/p>\n
3. Why is Buhari desperate to get Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki forcefully
\nremoved as President of the Senate – by hook or crook – through the
\ninvasion of the Senate by thugs and recent siege on the National Assembly
\nby a section of the nation\u2019s security apparatus.<\/p>\n
4. Why is Buhari and APC trying to truncate democracy by refusing to
\nprosecute those who have violated the sanctity of the parliament through
\nthe recent brazen invasion\/siege on the National Assembly?<\/p>\n
5. Why has Buhari not ensured the release of Leah Sharibu – the Dapchi
\nschool girl – who has continued to languish in captivity after others
\ngirls they were kidnapped together have since regained freedom through
\ngovernment\u2019s direct intervention?<\/p>\n
6. Why has Buhari kept the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria
\n(IMN), Sheik El-Zakzaky\u00a0 in detention for over three years despite several
\ncourt rulings granting him bail?<\/p>\n
7. Similarly, why has Buhari refused Col. Sambo Dasuki to go home after
\nsix court judgements, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice, that have
\ngranting him bail?<\/p>\n
8. How can Buhari claim to champion an anti-corruption fight when the APC
\nunder his leadership continues to compromise the nation\u2019s electoral
\nprocess through open vote buying to win elections?<\/p>\n
9. Why has Buhari continued to gag the press through arrests and long
\ndetentions as witness in the case of Jones Abiri – a Port Harcourt based
\njournalist – who was detained without trial for two years and a Premium
\nTimes reporter, Samuel Ogundipe who was incarcerated for failing to
\ndisclose his sources to the police?<\/p>\n
10. Why has Buhari refused to name murderous Fulani herdsmen as a
\nterrorist organization just like he did to the Indigenous People of Biafra
\n(IPOB)?<\/p>\n
\u201cI sincerely believe that if you ask the above questions and get
\nassurances that the rule of law will be adhered to and human rights
\nrespected by the government, it will go a long way to strengthen our
\ndemocracy, guarantee freedom of expression, association, assembly and
\nprevent the rising gale of intimidation, harassment, arrests and illegal
\ndetention of opposition figures and journalists in the country,\u201d Frank
\nadded.<\/p>\n
He further noted that if the tension and instability occasioned in the
\ncountry by the dictatorial tendencies of the present administration is not
\ncurbed, bilateral or multilateral agreements entered into by the country
\nwill be nugatory abinitio without peace, political stability and social
\ncohesion.<\/p>\n
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on the visiting German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to help prevail on the President Muhammadu…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":58882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n