Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari over a reported statement credited to him that he will jail some Nigerians now that he is back from 10 days leave.
Frank, who considered the statement as a threat to Nigerians, called on the President to look inward within his administration if he is looking for looters to jail.
President Buhari had reportedly told newsmen in an interview after his arrival to Abuja on Saturday that he was going to jail more of the thieves that brought economic problems to the country.
But reacting to the President’s comment, the former APC deputy spokesman, in a statement he signed on Sunday revealed that even before the president himself made it public, sources have informed some opposition leaders how the presidency was planning to arrest the likes of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki among others.
According to Frank, President Buhari has returned to continue persecution of his political opponents and selective fight against corruption.
“I want to tell you, Mr. President that you are presiding over the worst and most corrupt administration ever. If you really want to fight corruption why not start from your kitchen cabinet and the leadership of APC?
“Nigerians and international community are fully aware that all you have been doing is not fighting corruption but your perceived political enemies.
“Against this backdrop we have reliably gathered that the current administration have penciled down the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki among others to be arrested and detained ahead of the general elections in the name of fighting corruption.”
According to Frank, Nigeria is currently in a democratic system of government which requires that a competent court must find someone guilty of any allegation before he or she can be sent to prison.
While calling on the president to fully imbibe democratic culture, Frank said if the President carefully search his government with an open mind, “he will realize that he is surrounded by thieves.
“It is no longer hidden that president Buhari’s party, the APC is now a heaven for looters. So many known thieves who have stolen Nation’s commonwealth at all levels are not congregating in the ruling party. So, if President Buhari will make do with his threat, I will suggest that he starts with his party members.”
Frank said the President himself, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum has not made known to Nigerians the budget of his Ministry, not to talk of how much the country generates from the sales of oil daily since his assumption of office three years ago.
While also reminding the President that Nigerians have not forgotten the $43m that was found in Ikoyi house, he challenged him to make public the report of a panel of enquiry set up in the same direction.
“Can Mr. President also tell Nigerians how much has been recovered so far since the beginning of this jamboree talk of fighting corruption? Therefore, if all of these are still hidden, I think the President lacks the moral right to talk about jailing anybody as if the country is in military rule.”
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