Read below, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank admonishing his own party in his own words:
“I sincerely hold that the current trial of Saraki is not only underserved, but amounts to paying a good man with evil. I also want to say that the leaders of our great party have unfortunately remained quiet in the face of evil.
“I don’t believe we have forgotten that the victory of the APC during the last general elections could not have been possible without courageous strategists like Saraki who lent his political weight in favour of the APC at the risk of their own lives and personal survival.
“I don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki as a Senator in the 7th Senate brought the attention of Nigerians to the fraud perpetrated by the last administration in the name of fuel subsidy.
“I don’t think we have forgotten so soon how Saraki led five other governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC – a development that successfully turned the political tide against the PDP and eventually tipped the electoral scale against them during the 2015 general elections.
“I don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki led scores of Senators to cross over to the APC on the floor of the Senate.
“I don’t think we have also forgotten what he gave of his time, personal resources and energy to ensure that the APC emerged victorious both at the national, state and local government level.
“The question is: Why is the case of Saraki being treated differently at the CCT that in 2011 struck out the case against one of our national leaders because he was not given the opportunity to deny or admit the alleged discrepancies in his asset declaration forms in line with Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act.
This is unlike 11 other ex-governors who had similar cases of irregularities whose cases were dropped by the CCB after they were invited by the agency.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act which has been so undermined by the CCT in its Thursday ruling states that the CCB shall: “Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau (not the AGF or EFCC) considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by Section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20 to 25 of this Act: provided that where the concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.”
He added: “It is based on the above precedent that I want to ask why Saraki’s case is different? Why is the judiciary suddenly giving in to apparent blackmail from a section of the media by refusing to do their job as required by law?
“Already the Senate President has told the world that the trial has nothing to do with corruption but that he is being persecuted for emerging as the Senate President. To me, the ominous silence of our leaders since the day he was arraigned uphill now serves to validate the claims of the Senate President that he is being persecuted.
“Or where else in the world will the number three citizen of a country be brought before a tribunal over alleged irregularities in his asset declaration forms 13 years ago, and the hierarchy of the ruling party, to which he is a bonafide member, will not come out to show solidarity or defend him?”
Mr. Frank probably doesn’t fully understand the party’s mission statement regarding corrupt practices. Today’s Nigeria does not tolerate, neither, collude with, impunity. Sycophancy will not shift the focus of righting the wrong and bringing the culpable to book. So, what does Timi expect; for the party leaders to renege on their promise to the nation that they will stem the flow of corruption but exonerate those found complicit in one form or the other? I think not! Those currently being investigated or detained for corrupt practices are woven from the same fabric and therefore, no better or worse. And maybe Mr. Saraki, himself didn’t believe that his immediate past conduct would be subject of legal accountability. For all one can say, Saraki’s case is one that reaches the public domain at a time when the people reliably believe that the Change agenda is gradually moving on. And it’s certainly the opener to many others yet to be looked into. So, Timi Frank should understand that gainsaying is not an ideal persona of his current role in party politics. You can not defend the indefensible. Any observer with an analytic mind and foresight will realise that there are instinctive ploys going on to foment division within the party, to make it possible for staunch ‘enemies within’ the APC to create scenarios which may lead to factional fragmentations make it even harder for the administration to function successfully, and all in a bid to force a closure of cases like Saraki’s. Many defectors to APC only did so in order to cover their butts, not essentially that they wanted to be loyal to APC. The screening body of the APC was warned right at the beginning but the novelty, or, naivety, of how not to place the wolves among the sheep was lost in translation.
The harder they come!!!!!