Comrade Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either make public the endorsement letter by President Donald Trump or stop fooling Nigerians.
He rejected reports that the letter from United States President Donald Trump was an endorsement of President Tinubu’s administration, describing it as standard diplomatic communication appreciating the security collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
Disclosing this in a statement in Abuja today, Frank challenged the president to publish the supposed letter, saying that any real communication from the American President must have the official White House seal and the signature of President Trump.
“It’s not a letter from the White House. Frank questioned the validity of the paper that was being praised by the federal government, stating, “If it doesn’t have the White House seal and the signature of the President of the United States, it looks dubious at best.”
Daily Independent says he said, “Even if the letter exists, it should not be taken as political support for Tinubu or his administration.”
“The letter only praised Nigeria for working with United States in addressing insecurity. That’s the only reason why Pres. Trump might have written it. It was not an endorsement of President Tinubu’s leadership or his economic policies or his administration.
“It did not say the Trump administration is supporting President Tinubu or supporting him for any election in Nigeria. “The Presidency is just trying to change the narrative, to make it look bigger than it is,” he said.
Frank, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East) said the publicity on the alleged correspondence was to distract public attention from the ongoing discussions on the release and circulation of documents relating to President Tinubu’s alleged past drug-related matters.
He said the letter was “reportedly dated July 6” but did not become public until much later. “If this letter was indeed a big political endorsement from President Trump, it would have been publicised immediately and not weeks later.
“It’s just a standard practice in diplomacy,” Frank said. “Countries who work with the United States on security and other strategic interests send letters of commendation all the time. This kind of communication should not be interpreted as political support.”
He said the federal government was celebrating the reported letter because it was seeking international legitimacy and credibility, not because it represented an unusual diplomatic feat.
The government is celebrating this “letter” to seek legitimacy and credibility before the world community. “If it was confident of its credibility it wouldn’t make such a common diplomatic letter,” he said.
Frank pointed out that previous President Muhammadu Buhari was invited to the White House during Trump’s first term, saying that direct engagement was of considerably greater diplomatic value than a reported letter.
President Buhari was invited by President Trump when he was president. They stood united and spoke to the world. If Tinubu believes President Trump is impressed with his administration then he should go to Trump and stand next to him so the world can hear firsthand what he has achieved,’’ he added.
The former APC spokesman also debunked the reports that the federal government had spent millions of dollars on lobbyists in the United States to boost its international image. According to him, a government that truly enjoys international credibility would not need to spend huge sums of money to manage its reputation abroad.
He also said the United States has always claimed itself as a protector of democracy, rule of law, electoral integrity and preservation of human rights.
“The United States will never support a corrupt government that cannot protect the lives of its citizens or is tyrannical. “America will always stand for the integrity of elections, for democracy and for the protection of lives. Nigerians should not be fooled by the celebration of this ‘letter’.
“The United States remains committed to supporting efforts to address insecurity, protect election integrity and promote democratic values in Nigeria. “That should not be read as an endorsement of the Tinubu administration,” he said.
Frank said that issues around the release of court documents linked to President Tinubu’s alleged former drug-related case were still of public interest and should not be eclipsed by efforts to leverage political capital from what he called a regular diplomatic exchange. He dared the Tinubu administration to release the alleged letter said to have been signed by President Trump.
“Credibility and integrity cannot, in the end, be conferred by a letter, a diplomatic exchange or a public relations campaign. Frank said: “They are won by transparent leadership, accountability, respect for democratic institutions and faithful service to the people.”
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