APC knocks Atiku’s loyalist over poll shift claim

The All Progressives Congress on Sunday evening berated a one-time Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Timi Frank, over the claim that its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, is plotting to have the 2023 general elections postponed.

Frank, an avowed loyalist of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, had called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the Independent National Electoral Commission to resist overtures from politicians to shift the polls.

The politician also alleged that there is a grand conspiracy between the ruling APC and its presidential candidate to use the fuel crisis and the scarcity of the new naira notes to push for a readjustment of the election timetable. 

According to him, Tinubu has allegedly infiltrated and induced some media houses and a number of Civil Society Organisations across the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory to carry out protests to call for the postponement of the elections using the lingering fuel crisis and Naira scarcity as an excuse.

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Frank’s claim is coming in the wake of apprehension by political pundits that the elections may be postponed over a number of factors namely uncertainty, rising cases of attack on INEC facilities, and unrest at political rallies among others.

Four weeks ago, the Federal Government through the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had reassured Nigerians that it would neither postpone the 2023 general election nor alter the timetable over insecurity.

The FG assurance followed concerns raised by INEC at the peak of the attack on its facilities in some parts of the country allegedly perpetrated by the Eastern Security Network, the militant arm of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, bandits and other forms of criminalities.

Reacting to the claim, the Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, disclosed that there was no iota of truth in the report.

While describing him as a ‘prankster’, Ibrahim stated that he would soon be invited by security agencies to further elaborate on the phantom conspiracy to shift the 2023 elections. 

“We won’t like to be seen responding to Timi ‘Pranks’ or whatever his name is. People who make such an allegation or accusation need to refer to that popular Yoruba proverb that says ‘When you point an accusing finger at someone, the remaining four is pointed at you.’ When you plan some mischief behind closed doors and you want to pre-empt society by testing your prank, that is how you do it. 

“Whatever it is, I believe this is a government that is conscious of the people and try very hard to avoid whatever will bring hardship to the people.

“That is why the government and the party initiated reforms that will make the electoral process more transparent, credible, free and fair.

“The APC is confident of winning, provided the process is free, fair and credible. Why would you want to delay the day of your victory? It makes no sense.

“If what Timi Frank is saying is not a prank, let him provide the security agencies with his evidence and see if action will not be taken.

“But you know that when you are accused without proof, you become the prime suspect of the allegation.”