A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on members of the international community, especially the EU, US, UK and ECOWAS to prevail on President Bola Tinubu to vacate office over alleged certificate forgery.
The authorities of the Chicago State University, CSU, had on Wednesday agreed under oath that a certain person named “Bola. A. Tinubu” attended the school but denied issuing the diploma certificate he presented to INEC.
Mr Frank, in a statement Wednesday in Abuja, noted that by the revelation that Mr Tinubu apparently forged the certificate presented to INEC, he is constitutionally not fit to remain as President of Nigeria.
He said, “now that it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Tinubu forged the certificate with which he contested the presidential election in February 25, 2023, he is duty bound to vacate office as provided for in section 137(1)(j) of the constitution which stipulates that no one would be legitimately elected as President of Nigeria if the person has ‘presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission’. A constitutional matter with very grave implications.”
He added: “So we call on lovers of democracy, former Presidents, Rtd Justices of Supreme Court, traditional rulers, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, National Association of Nigerian Students, Nigeria Medical Association, Nigerian Bar Association and Civil Society Organizations to prepare for mass action to ensure that Tinubu vacates office as President. This is the last opportunity to take back our country from the gang of criminals who have hijacked the country.
“We also call on the authorities of ECOWAS to ask him to vacate the office of the chairman, otherwise, every decision that ECOWAS will take under his leadership will be null and void and will not be respected.
“Under his leadership, ECOWAS will not have credibility to speak on major issues in the continent including the coup in Niger, among others, since his legitimacy has now been eroded by reason of an established act of forgery.
“He can no longer and must not be allowed to proceed as ECOWAS chairman or engage in negotiation on behalf of ECOWAS because it will not be legitimate.”
Mr Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, ULMWP, Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, insisted that Mr Tinubu needs to vacate office as President of Nigeria because, according to him, remaining there would continue to set the country back.
“His actions negate democratic standards and charters to which Nigeria, ECOWAS and all AU members subscribe. No investor would want to come to a country where its president has been confirmed to be a certificate forger.
“The present image of the President would continue to militate against the nation’s economic growth until he vacates office to save Nigeria from continuous embarrassment.
“We want to believe that the Supreme Court justices that will hear the appeal on the disputed Presidential election outcome are Nigerians and that they are not from either South Africa or any other country.
“So it is their duty to give vent to the constitutional provision that anybody who lies on oath is guilty of a criminal offence and hence cannot hold any public office in the country. A president that forged, his certificate is not fit and proper to remain in office as President.
“There is no room for any technicality at this point in time as is often the case because Nigerians and the world are watching our judiciary to see if they would prove to be men of integrity.
“The judges who sat in America to give Nigeria this landmark judgement that revealed that our president forged his certificate, are clear examples that the judiciary is meant to protect the interests of the Law and the common man and not for judges to protect their own selfish interests, their pockets or give justice to the highest bidder.
“Any decision that the Supreme Court takes right now will either make or mar our democracy.” Mr Frank said.
