2019: Politics of arrest and voices of reasoning

As Nigerians warm up in preparations for the major political event of 2019, the struggle for political power has long started with the incumbent at the center scheming to retain power beyond 2019 while some descanting voices, even with the ruling party and the leaders of opposition political parties are not sleeping.

The recent alledged plot by the government to silence those who are not in support of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and counter accusation against those described as alarmists might be one of the signs that 2019 general elections will attract much attention of the international community considering the place of Nigeria in Africa.

Lest than 24 hours after the APC Deputy National Publicity, Comrade Timi Frank, cried out that the government was planning to arrest him, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, seized the media space with the same allegation, claiming that “The content of the alleged beastly designs, it was learnt are two-fold for now.

One, to seize his International Passport and clamp him into detention indefinitely, in order to prevent him from further expressinghis views on the pervasive mediocrity in the quality of governance, economic management and in the protection of lives and property by the Government”.

According to a statement signed by Chief Obasanjo’s spokesman, Kehinde Akinyemi, “Impeccable security sources have alleged Chief Obasanjo’s name is on their Watch List and that the security of his life cannot be guaranteed.

“According to these informants, many of who are in the top echelon of the Nation’s security management and close to the corridors of power, the operatives are daily perfecting how to curtail the personal liberties of the former President and hang a crime on him.

“But, since that could expose the Government to a swath of international condemnation, embarrassment and outrage, it is said that another plot being hatched is to cause the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-open investigation into the activities of Chief Obasanjo’s administration using false witnesses and documents.

“This will be a re-enactment of the Abacha era in which Chief Obasanjo was one of the principal victims”.

Just like the former president Obasanjo, Comrade Timi Frank, had told the world in an open letter that his Police security aides have been withdrawn while a serving Minister was going about threatening media houses against publishing his news releases.

The outspoken APC chieftain, who has severally complained and condemned what he called persecution and intimidation of perceived opposition through different open letters, urged Nigerians, and especially the National Assembly not to relent in providing leadership to ensure the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Recall that in recent weeks, he had cause to issue four open letters where he passionately pleaded with the President to stop security agencies from harassing and intimidating Nigerians especially those perceived as enemies of the administration. He also called on relevant security and anti-graft agencies, to follow due process in the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.

The APC chieftain had equally, through different letters called on the leaders of the international community, like the President of the United States, Donald Trump, Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres and the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, to prevail on the present administration to respect the sanctity of human lives, uphold the fundamental human rights of Nigerians, stop the intimidation and harassment of innocent citizens; and to make sure that the ongoing fight against corruption is conducted according to the principles of fairness, equity and justice.

In the said letters Comrade Frank had decried a situation where personalities mainly from the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) arm of the ruling APC party, were allegedly being selectively targeted for persecution in the guise of fighting corruption.

Like frankly speaking Frank spoke out against the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led government, warning the then ruling party against anti democratic tendencies going on then but was ignored, what happened to PDP after the 2015 elections is no more news.

Like prophet which they say ‘has no honor in his house,’ everything Comrade Frank has predicted about his party, the APC are all coming to pass.

Reacting to ex-President Obasanjo’s accusation, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the security agencies to order in order to douse the tension in the country.

Atiku, who is also a 2019 presidential aspirant, said that he received with serious concern the purported alert raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo of an alleged plot by the government to arrest him on trumped up charges, added that he was disturbed by the turn of events in Nigeria considering the huge price that was paid for country to have democracy.

In a statement Atiku personally signed last night, he advised that government and its agents should retrace their steps “to avoid aggravating the already over heated polity.

“I wish to state without equivocation that President Obasanjo is a historical figure in Nigeria’s democracy and that the primary purpose of government is to provide security of lives and property of all citizens and residents irrespective of their status, political affiliation, religious inclination and ethnic leanings.

“Our nation has lost so much precious lives and property that we can no longer afford to travel that road again.I wish to appeal to President Buhari to call the security agencies to order in order to douse the tension in the land.”

The PDP spokesman also said that the former President’s revelation shows that it has not been making up stories about the government’s plot to silence the opposition.

He said “The alarm by Chief Obasanjo has further shown that the PDP has not been crying wolf regarding the plot by the APC-led Federal Government to frame, arrest, detain and arraign political opponents of the APC, including regular Nigerians, for holding or canvassing opinions that are divergent to the interest of those in power.”

But in a swift reaction to Obasanjo’s letter, the federal government said the Buhari administration would not be distracted by frivolous allegations from any quarter, especially those cleverly choreographed to divert attention from a widely-acclaimed presidential proclamation and to shore up support for a waning and egotistical cause.

The government added that it is only those with skeletons in their cupboard that should be afraid of even their own shadows.

In a statement the Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noted that while those who have skeletons in their wardrobes should be afraid, even of their own shadows, innocent persons need not worry about any investigation, whether real or imagined.

He said the administration is too busy trying to clear the mess of 16 years and build on its unprecedented achievements over the past three years to waste its energy and time on framing up anyone or dwelling on issues that are not grounded in fact. Mohammed stated:

Apart from chief Obasanjo and comrade Timi Frank, other political leaders; like Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, Senator Shehu Sani and Senator Dino Melaye, have all complained of plot to frame them up recently.

Some political analysts believe that the situation was the first in the long time politicians were alledging same kind of fear, while others think that the dissenting voices were out to raise unnecessary alarm against the government.

Whatever may be true position, lovers of democracy and leaders of Nations across the world should not be deaf to complains of Comrade Timi Frank and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as Nigeria move closer to 2019.