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 Buhari-led government to adhere to the rule of law and respect the fundamental human rights of Nigerians as part of her engagements during her visit.
Frank said this has become necessary to save democracy and also stem the growing tide of intimidation, harassment, intolerance and desperation by the current administration as the 2019 general elections draw near.
He also appealed to Merkel to ask Buhari 10 questions he said needed urgent answers.
Frank listed them thus:
“1. Is Buhari a democrat or an authoritarian/dictatorial President?
2. Is Buhari fighting corruption or shielding alleged corrupt persons who now find the APC under his leadership a safe haven to escape prosecution?
3. Why is Buhari desperate to get Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki forcefully removed as President of the Senate – by hook or crook – through the invasion of the Senate by thugs and recent siege on the National Assembly by a section of the nation’s security apparatus.
4. Why is Buhari and APC trying to truncate democracy by refusing to prosecute those who have violated the sanctity of the parliament through the recent brazen invasion/siege on the National Assembly?
5. Why has Buhari not ensured the release of Leah Sharibu – the Dapchi school girl – who has continued to languish in captivity after others girls that were kidnapped together have since regained freedom through government’s direct intervention?
6. Why has Buhari kept the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheik El-Zakzaky in detention for over three years despite several court rulings granting him bail?
7. Similarly, why has Buhari refused Col. Sambo Dasuki to go home after six court judgements, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice, that have granting him bail?
8. How can Buhari claim to champion an anti-corruption fight when the APC under his leadership continues to compromise the nation’s electoral process through open vote buying to win elections?
9. Why has Buhari continued to gag the press through arrests and long detentions as witnessed in the case of Jones Abiri – a Port Harcourt based journalist – who was detained without trial for two years and a Premium Times reporter, Samuel Ogundipe who was incarcerated for failing to disclose his sources to the police?
10. Why has Buhari refused to name murderous Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist organization just like he did to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)?”
He further noted that if the tension and instability occasioned in the country by the dictatorial tendencies of the present administration is not curbed, bilateral or multilateral agreements entered into by the country will be nugatory abinitio without peace, political stability and social cohesion.
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