COUP IN NIGER: Tinubu is Pushing for War To Sabotage Presidential Election Tribunal– Timi

Advertisement

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria is pushing for war against the coupists in Niger so as to   preserve  his hold on the presidential office.

Comrade Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleged in a statement that Tinubu ” is also spoiling for war so as have a plausible reason and pretext to impose a state of emergency in Nigeria”.

This move, he said would lead to the suspension of the ongoing proceedings of the Presidential Election Tribunal (PET) . ” He just want to
sabotage the Presidential Election Tribunal (PET).

Frank said President Tinubu was leveraging his position as the ECOWAS chairman to legitimise his contested electoral victory in Nigeria.

Frank added that Tinubu’s insistence on military action in Niger “serves his self-interest, aiming to utilise it to gain political capital, enhance the recognition of his administration, and gain international validation for his presidency.”

Advertisement

Frank’s statement further reads, “It is evident to perceptive observers that Tinubu is contemplating a scenario that might precipitate war in Niger. This, in turn, could furnish him with the pretext to impose a state of emergency within Nigeria, thus halting the ongoing sessions of the Presidential Election tribunal.”

“He appears to be less concerned about fostering democracy in Niger Republic, and more preoccupied with using this situation to legitimise his own government and secure validation from Western allies. The citizens of Niger should be permitted to address their internal issues, as Nigeria is already grappling with its own set of challenges,” Frank said.

Frank blamed the ECOWAS Heads of States and Governments for failing to fortify democratic practices in the region by ensuring sound governance.

He pointed out that their tendency to remain silent when presidents unlawfully appropriated electoral mandates and manipulated constitutional provisions to prolong their tenures in office.

“It is a shame that ECOWAS’ Presidents always jerks back to life when a fellow president has been dethroned like the present scenario in Niger Republic,” he said.

He added: “I condemn the coup in Niger and I will support all altruistic efforts to restore democratic governance in that country. But I reject moves by Tinubu to use the Niger coup as a ruse to overturn the ongoing court process meant to determine the actual winner of the February 25th, 2023 Presidential election.

“I call on well meaning Nigerians to dissuade Tinubu from leading the country into an unnecessary war which among others will inflict heavy casualty on our armed forces and breed more widows in addition to what Boko Haram, bandits and other criminal elements have done already,” he said.

According to Frank, former President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired army general, did not push for military intervention during coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, fully cognizant of the far-reaching ramifications.

Frank then wondered why Tinubu “is so vehemently pursuing a path to war if not for the preservation of his hold on the presidential office.”