Frank Demands Akpabio’s Resignation over Senators’ Holiday Largesse Comment

*Asks Tinubu to allow Chicago varsity release certificate to US court

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

An Activist who was a former spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress, Timi Frank, has described as a show of shame, the announcement by Senate President that the National Assembly Management had sent special funds to the accounts of senators to enable them to enjoy their six weeks vacation.

Frank who stated this in a viral video on Wednesday, said Akpabio’s revelation on a live national TV was a mockery of democracy and Nigerians.

He therefore demanded the immediate resignation of the Senate President stressing that it was insensitive for the federal lawmakers to enjoy national resources in the name of holidaying at a time Nigerians were facing hardships and other economic challenges.

The development came just as the former deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, in a statement on Wednesday, called on President Bola Tinubu, to allow the Chicago State University to release his academic records to a court in Nigeria if he had nothing to hide. 

Akpabio had made the statement on Monday night during a special plenary session where the Senate completed the screening and confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.

He  openly informed senators that the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Magaji Tambawal, had loaded his colleagues  individual bank accounts with cash so that they would be able to enjoy their annual holiday.

He had said, “In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly”

Akpabio stated this despite protests from  senators, that he should not have made such announcement in the open.

The development forced him to pause a bit and thereafter withdraw the statement for the record and rephrased the same information.

He said, “In order to enjoy your holidays, the Senate President has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.” 

The Senate had adjourned plenary on Monday till September 26, 2023, in order to observe its annual recess.

Frank, in his reaction to the development appealed to President Bola Tinubu to demand the immediate resignation of Akpabio.

He said, “The show of shame that was demonstrated today (Monday) on a live national television where the Senate under Akpabio was telling the whole world and Nigerians that they are going on vacation, and the Clerk of the National Assembly has paid money to every account of the Nigerian Senators.

“This is the biggest joke we’ve seen in recent times, and that is the main reason why I’m making it bold and very clear that Senator God’swill Akpabio must immediately resign as the Senate President. He cannot continue to make mockery of our democracy and make mockery of Nigerians.

“This is the same man who made mockery of the poor, and made it very clear in the Senate chamber by saying ‘Let the poor breathe’. Meanwhile, he was laughing because he knew they will definitely never allow the poor to breathe, they’ll continue to suffocate the poor and that is what he demonstrated today (Monday) on a live TV by sharing the resources that belongs to the poor to their personal accounts.

“Akpabio has shown that since the inception of the Nigerian Senate, this is the most corrupt Senate President ever Nigerians have witnessed.

“I use this opportunity to call on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to end this joke and Nollywood act of Akpabio, that this is the time he the President must tell Akpabio to resign for this show of shame and national embarrassment, Nigerians can no longer take this in this APC government anymore”.

Meanwhile, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC), has called on President Tinubu, to allow the Chicago State University to release his academic records to a court in Nigeria if he has has nothing to hide. 

He also challenged the American government and its institutions to cause Tinubu’s certificates in Chicago State university to be released to a court in Nigeria in the spirit of reciprocity and freedom of information obtainable in that country. 

Frank made this call in a statement in Abuja, also insisted that Tinubu, as a public servant ought not to seek to stop his academic records from being made public in a law Court.

Recall that Tinubu had filed a motion seeking to prevent a United States Federal Court from releasing his university academic records to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as requested by the latter. 

He lamented that the United States is playing double standards where actions and requests that are taken seriously in their country becomes the reverse when it concerns an African country like Nigeria. 

He said: “Barely two days after former Vice President ans Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) approached the State District Court for the Northern District of Illinois subpoenaed the Chicago State University to release the records of Tinubu, it is rather shocking that the President has countered the request by filling a counter motion to restrain the Court from releasing his academic records to the petitioner. 

“What seems to be more worrisome is the idea that a sitting President who had sworn to uphold the integrity and sanctity of the Presidential office, would attempt to muzzle an independent judiciary of the United States through acts of coercion or frivolous motions unknown to the Justice department. 

“However, it is noteworthy to reiterate that the Justice system of the United States isn’t one that is amenable to coercion, intimidation, subjugation or any other form of compromise as demonstrated clearly from recent events concerning the former President of the US (Donald Trump) who is being made to answer various charges concerning his conduct while in office. 

“What are you hiding in the Chicago University? If you are proud of your credentials, tell the University you claimed to have attended to release your academic information to Nigeria as requested by Atiku.”