A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, urged the Department of State Services (DSS), to urgently halt their alleged grand plot to harass, humiliate, arrest and illegally force the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, out of office.
Frank, who was reacting to allegations to that effect by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Abuja on Monday, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the DSS and other officials involved to order in a bid not to intensify the already heightened security situation in the country at this critical time.
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, in a statement Tuesday, said such gestapo tactics employed by the DSS against Judges of the Federal High Court and Supreme Court in the past must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
He insisted that even though he is neither friend to or fan of Emefiele or the present administration, he would not fold his arms and remain quiet when a grave injustice is about to be meted to any Nigerian because injury to one is injury to all.
According to the Bayelsa-born political activist, allegations remain allegations, no matter how finely couched, until proven otherwise before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Therefore, the rule of law and due process must be followed if at all this present onslaught by the DSS is not a politically motivated witch-hunt against Emefiele.”
He added: “Let us not allow the kind of kangaroo and commando-styled Operation by the DSS that was used to remove a former Chief Justice of Nigeria in the recent past.
“I call on all well meaning Nigerians to resist a repeat of this type of injustice and inhumanity in our nation.
“If any government official has been found to violate certain aspects of our laws, let the Rule of Law be followed in redressing any such infraction.
“Why would any group of people want to remove someone who is trying his best to give some sort of credence to this government – that has failed in all aspects of good governance – It is not only sad but an attempt to worsen the current situation that we are in as a country.
Is the government trying to play an ethnic card? This brings to mind, what happened to the former Chief Justice Of Nigeria, Onnoghen and the former Acting DG of the Department of State Services, Seiyefa – both were removed unceremoniously.
Many key people under this government have been said to have purportedly committed various illegalities and none has been treated like the way Emefiele is being treated.
“I will never fold my hands and watch when injustice is being perpetuated against any Nigerian.
“I also received with dismay that members of this government are part of the plot. Governor Emefiele has suddenly become a persona non-grata, obviously because of his recent policy on the redesigning of the Naira. Not minding that this policy is to help fight corruption and looting that has become endemic under this APC administration.
“The current government knows that they cannot win any election except through vote buying. Hence, he is no longer in their good books.
“I am, therefore, using this medium to caution the DSS and their cohorts in government to desist from this illegality for which they have purportedly procured an illegal court order to mask their sinister intentions.
“I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the DSS and other conniving officials to order in order not to heighten the already heightened security situation in the country at this critical time.”
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