Timi Frank, a former national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration orchestrated the arrest of Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, to scare the civil society into silence.
Frank made this known in a Sunday, December 2, 2018, statement in Abuja.
The trio led protesters on the PoliceNotPolitician campaign to protest alleged police interference in the Akwa Ibom Assembly crisis.
But Frank said that the current administration must not be allowed to scare the remaining activists speaking against its dracanonian ways into silence.
He decried the arrest of Adeyanju and the others, saying it was unfathomable that anyone would be arrested simply for leading a protest.
Frank called on Nigerians to stand up to defend their rights before the situation got out of control.
He further urged the judiciary not to allow itself be used by the executive to infringe on the rights of Nigerians.
In the same vein, the former APC chieftain lambasted the police for turning itself into an All Progressives Congress, APC, force.
While lamenting the stringent bail conditions granted Adeyanju, he alleged that “the police was planning to re-arrest and charge him with terrorism anytime he is granted bail.”
He said, “We know that President Muhammadu Buhari through the Inspector General of Police ordered the arrest of Prince Deji Adeyanju for organizing #PoliceNotPolitician protest in Abuja. Nigerians must speak up now.
“It is Prince Deji Adeyanju today, we don’t know who will be the next victim of arrest by the APC government. This same police could arrest someone on a peaceful demonstration, but couldn’t effect the arrest of any thug amongst the hoodlums who recently Invaded the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.
“The police IG should know that power is transient and that the effect of injustice done today does not end today but waits patiently for the future.
“I, hereby call on the Court to be fair to Prince Adeyanju, and also resist the police from unnecessary persecution of the Human Rights crusader.”
