INTELS: Don’t join politics of 2019, APC chieftain warns FIRS

Tom Okpe, Abuja

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Timi Frank, has warned federal government agencies, including the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) not to drag itself into the politics of 2019 general elections.

Frank, speaking to journalists on Monday in Abuja reacting to media reports of sealing Integrated Logistics Services Ltd. (INTELS), a company belonging to the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, by the FIRS, said: “This is not the time to play politics with the issues of governance. Could it be another ploy to weaken Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ahead of his perceived ambition for 2019”, he queried.

Frank, while condemning the sealing of INTELS by FIRS, said: “It is pertinent to note that in its history, since establishment, no Central Government has ever brazenly persecuted the company like this present Government.

“The act of the FIRS, NPA, and FTZ as agencies of government is and can be seen to be a calculated attempt to humiliate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
How come FIRS just realized the non- payment of tax by INTELS; the export free zone just realized that INTELS is operating illegally. If the agencies just realized all these, it means they have shown total failure in discharging their duties. Let’s learn to follow due process”.

While pleading to the Presidency to promptly intervene before it gets out of hands added: “I want to believe that the presidency is not aware of this over bearing and over zealousness on the part of these government agencies. By this, I plead with the presidency to promptly intervene on this matter appropriately in due course before it is late”.

He warned the government agencies to tread carefully, saying “my thoughts are that some political leaders who are afraid of his profile and hell bent on truncating his perceived ambition are behind these.

“The good news is that no Matter what these Agencies of Government do, the prerogative and his decision to run for presidency come 2019 is his fundamental right and rightly so, if he so desires.
Nigeria as it is today has a lot going on and this latest brazen act by Government Agencies is the least on the minds of Nigerians.

“We encourage government agencies to do their work but also take note that governance should not be reduced as a tool to witch hunting individuals, by playing petty politics.
I see this as an intimidation coming from agencies of government of the day on an innocent Nigerian. We must not be cowed by these agencies of government who wants to turn themselves to political actors to gain favor from the government of the day.

“Today, it is Atiku, tomorrow it can be any other person and for this purpose we must all stand against this impunity. Let’s all thread carefully as we strive for a better country and democracy”, he said.

The APC chieftain, however, called on Nigerians to rise up to any attempt of vilifying any individual in the guise of over zealousness of government agencies.