Ex-APC Chieftain Urges AU To Withdraw Buhari’s Anti-Corription Award
LAGOS APRIL 14TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Comrade Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has told African Union (AU) leaders to withdraw the African Union’s Anti-corruption Champion Award conferred on President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, or he would lead a protest in the next AU meeting in Addis Ababa.
Frank had in a statement made available to journalists on Monday said it had become necessary in view of what he described as President Buhari’s lack of integrity, credibility and honour in administering the affairs of the country since May 2015.
The activist wondered why Buhari was selected for the continental award in view of his high level of compromise, while other African leaders with solid integrity, untainted credibility and unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption like Paul Kagame of Rwanda and John Joseph Magufuli of Tanzania were not chosen.
He maintained that Kagame and Magufuli remained shining examples of integrity in the continent, stressing that the President was least deserving of the award, as all facets of the Nigerian nation had become infested with excruciating and growing corruption under his leadership.
While describing corruption under the fight for spread of COVID-19 pandemic as outrageous, Frank said, “Recall that the AU at its 30th Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2018, presented to the President Muhammadu Buhari, a continental award as the African Union’s Anti-corruption Champion.
“The award among others was meant to spur leaders of the continent not just to fight corruption in their respective countries but to engage in impactful projects which were hitherto unfortunately hampered by corruption in the echelons of national governments across the continent.”
He said that he sincerely believed that the choice of Buhari to receive the award was fueled by the regime’s propagandists and lobbyists whose only intention was to commit the AU to supporting a supposed anti-corruption crusade by President Buhari.
“Let me inform you that the choice of Buhari for the Award was not only a misplaced venture but an unpardonable aberration as events back in Nigeria have since shown that rather than fight corruption in which basis he was elected in 2015, the regime has turned out to be an Enabler-In-Chief for wanton corruption.
“Be further informed that the propaganda anti-corruption edifice build around Buhari has since unraveled to reveal a cesspit of monumental corruption being perpetuated by officials of the regime against the people of Nigeria.
“The credentials of Buhari as a man without integrity and honour are well known both within Nigeria and the international arena.
“For instance, Nigeria has been on the downward slide in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) published yearly by the Transparency International (TI) since Buhari took over the affairs of the country in May 2015 till date. The evidence for this is just a click away on any of the internet search engines.
“Besides a plethora of regime officials indicted for corruption in the country, TI’s annual reports from 2015 to 2019 and a recent letter by the Chairman, Finance Committee of the United States of America (USA) Senate, Mr. Charles Grassley, would bring to fore any evidence required by Your Excellency in this regard.
“In addition to the above, it is self-evident that some top officials of the regime have since been sacked for corruption related atrocities – when the regime could no longer bear or cover up their financial improprieties – while many still exist that are sleaze personified.
“In view of the forgoing, the AU will be doing the continental organization of eminent and respected African leaders a great service by retracing your steps (which you were led into by error), redeem the global image of the AU and strengthen its resolve to eliminate governmental corruption from the African continent, by relieving Buhari of the unmerited award.”
He called on the leadership of the AU not only to withdraw the award it wrongly bestowed on Buhari but to also apologize to Africa for their poor and unwarranted action, stressing that if the award was not withdrawn, he would be left with no other option than to mobilize and lead a massive protest against, what he said was an underserved award at the next summit of the AU in Addis Ababa.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Apr 14 2020. Filed under National.
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