Timi Frank
A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on the United States and the international community to impose sanctions on key officials of the Federal Government over alleged actions undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
In a strongly worded statement, Frank urged the U.S. government to impose visa bans, economic sanctions and asset freezes on top government functionaries he accused of supporting anti-democratic practices.
He alleged that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deploying state institutions to weaken opposition parties ahead of future elections.
According to him, “the aim is to ensure that no political party fields a candidate strong enough to challenge the President,” warning that such actions could trigger political instability if not urgently addressed.
Frank specifically accused key institutions, including the judiciary and the legislature, of being used to frustrate opposition forces, insisting that democracy must remain a contest of ideas rather than what he described as a “monarchical system.”
He called on the United States, the United Nations and other global actors to intervene proactively.
“The international community must not wait until Nigeria descends into crisis or conflict before taking action,” he said, warning that instability in a country of over 200 million people could have far-reaching regional and global consequences.
Frank also alleged that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, is involved in activities that undermine democratic processes, urging sanctions against the bank’s leadership if such claims are substantiated.
On the electoral process, he described the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “biased and unfit,” alleging that the commission is being positioned to favour certain political interests.
He warned that key actors within the administration, including electoral officials, should be held accountable for any breakdown of law and order arising from the current political climate.
Frank further claimed he is prepared to provide foreign governments with details of assets owned by Nigerian public officials in jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates to facilitate targeted sanctions.
Describing his intervention as a “crisis warning,” he urged immediate steps to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and prevent what he termed a drift towards authoritarianism.
He added that he would submit a list of officials allegedly involved in anti-democratic actions to the U.S. government and other international actors for possible blacklisting.
Frank also called on the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to impose strict visa restrictions on individuals and institutions he described as anti-democratic actors.