…Condemns military’s involvement in electoral process
The former deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank has fingered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Yakubu Mahmood of grand corruption in the run up to the governorship election across the country.
Frank said the recent development across the states, especially in the Niger Delta has vindicated him of several alarms he had raised before the election.
Shortly before the Presidential elections, Frank had revealed that the INEC chairman was spotted with the President and the military Chiefs in a discreet meeting at a secret location in Abuja where he said they made arrangement on how to compromise the elections in favour of APC across the country.
In a statement signed by Timi Frank, Monday in Abuja, said the brazen show of shamelessness as displayed by the Nigerian Army in opposition strongholds, in a bid to militarising the election process can attest to the level of desperation by the ruling Party and such as never been seen in any democracy worldwide.
“The results of this midnight meeting is now very clear to all Nigerians, that indeed the INEC chairman has been greatly compromised having being coerced by the presidency and the Army to remain committed to its earlier agreement.
“This despicable ugly anomaly can at best be described as the worst any electoral body would go in its quest to connieving with the executive to scuttle a process which is supposed to be a fundamental right for all nigerians irrespective of tribe, ethnicity or religion as enshrined in the constitution.
“The denial by the Nigerian Army of non-interference is despicable and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians, even when video evidences abound in the public space.
“The combined sections of 217(2c) 305(3c) of the constitution is very clear on the roles of the military in our elections, suffice to say that the Supreme Court judgement barring the military from any polling station in Nigeria is still subsistent and cannot be set aside by any court of law.
“It is rather unfortunate and regrettable that the President and Commander in chief, who is a direct beneficiary of a free and fair election is directly involved in scuttling same process, which he is a beneficiary. It will be safe to assume therefore, that democracy has finally come to an end 20 yrs after being retrieved from the military by an overzealous dictator who would rather kill all democratic institutions instead of building and strengthening existing institutions.”
Frank called on Nigerians to rise up now or forever live with the outcome of what he described as “deadly and evil cabal bent on governing with all high handedness, without recourse to the will of the people.
“I’m urging all true supporters of a progressive and new Nigeria to stand up and fight for their votes to be protected from the hands of this evil devourers. The nationwide voter apathy as recorded all over the country is an indication that the citizens are fed up and do not believe in the neutrality of the electoral umpire and has therefore lost confidence in the electoral process.
“I am therefore calling on all peace loving Nigerians in the Niger Delta to rise up and brace themselves for any eventualities in a bid to protecting their mandate and standing tall without fear and intimidation. The world is watching and has been put on notice to the atrocities committed by the Nigerian Army on innocent unarmed Nigerians during the elections.
“It is rather unfortunate and laughable that the INEC chairman is declaring opposition states inconclusive, when he clearly refused to do same during the Presidential elections, which was wickedly manipulated to favour the APC despite widespread anomalys. That evil declaration will be retrieved in due course and Nigerians will know the truth. The figures from the Gubernatorial elections alone attest and proves that the presidential elections was gravely flawed and rigged in the ruling party favor.”
The former APC deputy spokesman also called on the international community, the US, EU and the UK to task Prof Mahmoud Yakubu to desist forthwith from any further delay in announcing the winner of the gubernatorial elections in the opposition strongholds states immediately.
“The results for Kano, Delta, Bauchi, Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Sokoto and Rivers states are already known and in the public domain and as such any attempt to further manipulate the results from this units will be resisted fiercely, as it is a democratic right for every Nigerian citizen.”
