Timi Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked the US and the rest of the world to punish important members of the Nigerian federal government for activities that he says hurt Nigeria’s democracy.
Frank made a strong speech in which he called the U.S. government to put visa restrictions, economic sanctions, and asset freezes on key government officials, especially those he said were allowing anti-democratic acts.
The Guardian said he claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government is using state institutions to make opposition parties weaker before the next election.
He said that “the goal is to make sure that no political party runs a candidate strong enough to challenge the President.” He also warned that if these activities are not dealt with right now, they could lead to a crisis in the country.
Frank particularly said that institutions like the judiciary and legislature were being used to stop opposition groups from winning. He said that democracy should be a contest of ideas, not what he called a “monarchical system.”
He asked the US, the UN, and other countries across the world to step in before things get worse.
He stated, “The international community must not wait until Nigeria is in crisis or conflict before taking action.” He also said that any instability in Nigeria, which has a population of more than 200 million, may lead to a huge refugee catastrophe in many areas.
Frank also said that Mr. Yemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was reportedly paying for things that hurt democracy and urged for sanctions on the bank’s management if these charges are proven.
He called the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral panel (INEC) “biased and unfit,” saying that the panel is being set up to benefit specific political interests.
He said that important people in the government, such election officials, should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order that happens because of the current political situation.
Frank also said that he is willing to give other governments precise information about the assets of Nigerian public officials in places like the US, the UK, and the UAE to help with targeted sanctions.
Frank called his involvement a “crisis warning” and urged that urgent action must be made to protect Nigeria’s democracy and stop what he called a drift toward dictatorship.
He also said he would give the U.S. government and leaders of the international community a list of important people in the Tinubu administration who are said to be working together to destroy democracy in Nigeria so that they can be put on a blacklist.
Frank also asked the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to refuse visas to people and organizations that he said were anti-democratic actors in the Tinubu administration.
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