Frank urges U.S., global community to sanction Tinubu officials over alleged democratic backsliding

Frank Urges U.S., Global Community to Sanction Tinubu Officials over Alleged Democratic Backsliding

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 Nigeria’s Federal Government, citing what he described as actions capable of undermining the country’s democracy.

In a statement issued on April 10, Frank urged the U.S. government to introduce visa restrictions, economic sanctions and asset freezes targeting top government functionaries allegedly involved in anti-democratic practices.

He accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deploying state institutions to weaken opposition parties ahead of future elections. According to him, such actions are aimed at ensuring that no political party fields a formidable candidate to challenge the president.

“The aim and goal is to ensure that no political party fields a candidate strong enough to contest with the President,” Frank said, warning that the situation could trigger a political crisis if not urgently addressed.

The former APC spokesman further alleged that critical democratic institutions, including the judiciary and the legislature, were being used to frustrate opposition forces. He stressed that democracy should remain a contest of ideas rather than what he termed a “monarchical system.”

Frank called on international actors, including the United States Government and the United Nations, to intervene before the situation deteriorates.

“The international community must not wait until Nigeria descends into crisis or conflict before taking action,” he said, adding that instability in Nigeria—given its population of over 200 million—could trigger a major refugee crisis with regional and global implications.

He also accused the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, of allegedly funding activities that could undermine democratic processes, and called for sanctions against the apex bank’s leadership if such claims are substantiated.

On the electoral body, Frank described the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “biased and unfit,” alleging that the commission was 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 also claimed readiness to provide foreign governments with detailed information on 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 said urgent steps were needed to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and prevent what he termed a drift toward authoritarianism.

He added that he would make available to the U.S. government and other international partners a list of key officials allegedly involved in efforts to undermine democratic rule in Nigeria for possible blacklisting.

Frank further called on the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to deny visas to individuals and institutions he described as “anti-democracy forces” within the current administration.