Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has described the illegal declaration of the result in the governorship election in Adamawa state as a coup against Nigeria’s democracy.
Frank also said the highlights of the events unfolding in the wake of the Adamawa state governorship supplementary elections of Saturday confirmed that the independence of the electoral umpire as enshrined in the constitution has been greatly compromised under the Prof. Mamoud Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement released to newsmen Monday in Abuja, the Bayelsa-born political activist said the bizarre manner and affront exhibited and displayed by the Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner ((REC), proved that the electioneering process has been greatly hampered by no other than INEC itself, as demonstrated in the Presidential elections several weeks ago.
Frank said: “For the avoidance of doubt, despite all the assurances of credible elections, after receiving an approval of over N350billion for the conduct of the 2023 general elections, the INEC chairman had consistently deceived Nigerians and their representatives in the National Assembly, as to the conduct and credibility of the 2023 National Elections.
“The overall assessment, however, has been a ridiculously shambolic and utter distasteful narrative for many Nigerians. This broad daylight robbery of the people’s will, orchestrated over and over again by the electoral umpire without recourse to its own rules and guidelines only confirms that the commission has set itself as a conduit for perpetrating electoral fraud.
“The result of Sunday’s action by the REC should be condemned by all peace-loving Nigerians especially the Adamawa people, who should stop at nothing to be vigilant at this time and frustrate the efforts of criminals intending to steal their mandate under this grand conspiracy.
“Nigerians must take note of the gross injustice being perpetrated by INEC, not just as evident in Adamawa but as shown in several other states and must resist any further attempt to allow Prof Mahmood Yakubu oversee any further upcoming elections as he’s unfit to follow and respect the rules of democracy to deliver credible elections in Nigeria.
“We are aware of their consistency in advising parties to proceed to the courts for legal redress rather than carrying out their constitutional duties seamlessly. The arrogance of INEC towards the Nigerian electorate after connivance in stealing several mandates must stop forthwith. The idea of making public statements with video evidence on free and credible elections, only to reverse itself by defending illegality is shameless, to say the least.”
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, warned INEC to be wary of its actions.
“INEC should be wary of its actions and must ensure they don’t set the country on a dangerous path. The Youths are agitated and the electoral umpire must take heed whilst the voice of reason is still available. In hindsight INEC must as a matter of urgency declare the original results of the supplementary elections,” Frank said.
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