BY AYO ESAN
FORMER Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Timi Frank, has called on a former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, to speak up in defence of the Yoruba race “now under fierce attacks by herdsmen, bandits and kidnappers.”
He made the call just as he berated President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu, over the recent crisis in Oyo State as well as across the South West and other regions of Nigeria.
Frank, in a statement in Abuja, on Monday, also decried the spate of insecurity in the country, especially in the South West, saying that Buhari and Tinubu should be held responsible for the crises.
He urged the APC leader to break his silence and speak up against the attacks in his region, saying his continued silence does not portray him as a leader who has the interest of his people at heart.
He said, “The crisis in the South-West should be solely blamed on Tinubu who foisted Buhari on Nigerians and especially on the South West.
“How can Tinubu continue to keep mute over the attacks in Oyo State and other South West states?
“Tinubu is a leader of the Yorubas in South West. Asiwaju cannot be silent over matters involving threats to life, peace and security of his people.
“His continued silence has become too loud, especially owing to the fact that he was the major influence and the reason the Yorubas voted massively for Buhari in 2015.
“Tinubu’s silence shows he is only protecting his business interests in the South-West as well as protecting his political ambition.
“He does not want to shatter his relationship with Buhari which in turn, by his calculation, would attract the President’s nod for him to have a shot at the presidency come 2023.
“But as a leader of the region, Tinubu should speak against the attacks against his people and not be driven by his selfish 2023 presidential ambition.”
The Bayelsa-born activist added, “Nigeria is more divided under Buhari than it has ever been before. Buhari’s government has polarised the country across religious and ethnic lines.
“This government is so clueless and incompetent that it recognises and shows a soft hand on terrorist groups like Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and bandits, but sadly mete out cruelty on innocent and patriotic Nigerians.
“Look at the number of security personnel it sent to wickedly dehumanise and arrest peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos.
“Yet, the Buhari government can’t send a similar proportion of law enforcement agencies after killer herdsmen.
“Instead, the President is emboldening the terrorist groups with his direct and indirect support, even against the South-West region and the likes of Tinubu have kept silent while their people suffer.”
Frank, however, urged all Nigerians and especially the leaders in the South-West to “unite and fight this common enemy.”
He urged other regions to also join in the fight, warning that if the trend was allowed to fester, sooner than later, the crisis of insecurity might grow out of proportion in every region of the country.
