A former Deputy National Publicity
Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has
petitioned the United States of America, United Kingdom and the European Union
(EU), asking them to place a visa ban on the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur
Buratai and others for the involvement of the military in the just concluded
elections.
According to the petition dated
19th March, 2019 and made available in Abuja on Wednesday, Frank
reminded the international community that he had before the elections written a
letter to alert them of what he described as, “the impending danger in the plot
by the APC led government to use the military and other security apparatus to
rig the 2019 general elections and to perpetrate violence which is likely to
lead to the killing of innocent electorates.”
The political activist declared
that he had been vindicated with what has happened during and after the
elections.
In the petition, Frank also
reminded the US, UK and the EU to fulfill their promise of visa ban on the
perpetrators of violence during the elections.
“I hereby use this medium to
implore you and your good offices to ensure that justice is done. In the
circumstances, I enjoin you to carry out your promise of the denial ,
revocation and ban of visas for all the principal actors , including the Chief
of Army Staff,General Tukur Buratai and his cohorts and politicians who may be
complacent in the said dastardly act.
The petition titled “The illegal
use of the military to perpetrate violence and to distrup electoral processes
in Nigeria: a call for action” reads in party:
“You may recall that shortly
before the 2019 General presidential, National Assembly and governorship
elections in Nigeria, I wrote to your good offices to alert you on the
impending danger in the plot by the APC led government to use the military and
other security apparatus to rig the 2019 general elections and to perpetrate
violence which is likely to lead to the killing of innocent electorates .
“Most predictably,that was
exactly what played out in the just concluded 2019 General elections in some
states in Nigeria where the Nigerian Army deployed military operatives to carry
out nefarious activities during the elections in favour of the ruling party
even when our Courts in Nigeria have long before 2019 general elections held
that the military shall not be deployed anywhere in Nigeria under any guise to
monitor elections which is purely a civil exercise of one’s civic right and
responsibility.
“In trying to dent and taint my
public image, the Nigeria military under the leadership of General Tukur
Buratai, labeled me as a propagandist of fake news in print and social media a
few days ago to disparage my hard earned reputation in the eye of the general
public .
“However, it is worthy of note
that I have been vindicated by several reports released by different groups
that monitored the elections.
“For instance,The European Union
Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria faulted the intimidation of
voters and election observers by security agents especially in the governorship
and House of Assembly Elections. The EU EOM further condemned the violence and
intimidation against the citizens and election observers by the military and
security agents ,including the EU observers who were denied access to collation
centers especially in Rivers.
“Another report worthy of note is
that of The Joint report by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and
International Republic Institute ( IRI) released on the 9 th of March , 2019 as
regards the governorship elections where it condemned the heavy military
presence in some parts of the country . It was stated that incidents of
violence and disruptions to the balloting process were observed in Lagos, Benue,
Nasarawa and Rivers state. The mission further frowned at the impunity with
which some electoral actors conducted themselves, including some polling agents
and members of the military.
“The executive director of Youth
Initiative For Advocacy,Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) also alleged that
military chased observers and some party agents out of the collation centers in
some states.
“INEC on its parts just released
a report on the Rivers State of Nigeria governorship elections where the said
INEC categorically accused the Nigeria military of being complacent with
regards to the unprofessional role they played in the conduct of the said
general elections. It was stated that soldiers and armed gangs invaded
collation centers to disrupt the collation process in order to thwart the Will
of the people which they rightly did.The said INEC press release is attached
herewith for your perusal.”
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