Timi Frank, a suspended chieftain
of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has apologised to ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan, alleging that life is worthless under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Frank, one of the then opposition
leaders who criticised Jonathan in the buildup to the 2015 election, conveyed
his apology in an open letter.
He explained that he apologised
to Jonathan because events in the last three years showed that the ex-president
was a better leader.
“I would first of all like to use
this opportunity to formally apologise to the immediate past President of
Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for all the tantrums and mistreatment
orchestrated by me against his person while he held sway at the helm of affairs
of our great country,” the letter read.
“Indeed, I and many others may
have misunderstood Jonathan’s silence for weakness and thus pushed harder to
malign his person and portray him as a weak leader.
“Having achieved the change
agenda, it is now crystal clear, that the change we had clamoured for is not
the change we got. Under your (Buhari) tenure the rule of law has been replaced
with the rule of force. You have injected fear into the society. People who
voted for you to save them from corruption and ineptitude have been barred from
speaking up against the myriads of evil and wicked acts being perpetrated by
officials in your government.
“Unfortunately, corruption is in
the upward swing under your watch. This is why I had to apologize to Jonathan
since events of the last three years have shown the former president was a
better leader.
“People freely expressed
themselves under Jonathan’s administration without fear of being branded
cultists’ sponsors, gunrunners or aiding murderers. But not so under this
administration.
“Under Jonathan, Nigerians
enjoyed freedom of speech, association and right to hold dissenting views
including organising and partaking in protests against unwelcome government
policies. All these are no go areas today. Does it mean Jonathan was a better
democrat? It is a fact that no member of the APC which was then in the
opposition before 2015 was jailed or harassed for expressing dissent.”
He said the current government
has shown disdain for court orders.
“El-Zakzaky and Dasuki will not
be in jail today but for the present rule of force under this government. It is
a pity that today democracy and freedom have become scarce. Insecurity
continues unabated,” he wrote.
“Killings take place on a daily
basis across the country either by kidnappers, Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen,
and other criminal elements having a free reign around the country. Life has
become worthless and uncertain and people cannot speak out for fear of being
labeled anti-government by your regime.
“Besides, instead of heeding the
wise counsel of leaders like Obasanjo, IBB, TY. Danjuma, General Gowon, and
religious leaders like Bakare and Oyedepo, you have again declared to seek
reelection as President. You even boasted in Bauchi that you will be reelected
which was akin to saying you will rig yourself back into office.”
Frank added that history will not
be fair to him if he had championed campaigns against Jonathan and remained
silent in the face of “anti-democratic tendencies and sheer impunity”.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
THIS IS COURAGE............
ReplyDelete