*Says ex-VP’s Nigerian roots not in doubt
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has flayed the comments of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, on the nationality of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Frank, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, urged the Attorney-General to focus on more crucial issues bedevelling the country rather than taking Atiku to court over baseless claims of not being a full-blooded Nigerian.
The political activist said: “Atiku Abubakar is a true Nigerian who has sacrificed a lot to stabilise Nigeria’s democracy and economy. It is only a comedian that can, therefore, come out to say that Atiku is not a true Nigerian. It is both disgraceful and unpatriotic for the likes of Malami to be making such unguarded and divisive comments at this time of our country’s existence.”
He further justified Atiku’s Nigerian nationality saying he diligently served as a Customs Officer before veering into politics to contest and win Adamawa state governorship election in 1999 before serving as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.
“How can Malami say Atiku is not a true Nigerian? A man who contested the governorship of Adamawa state and won and later became the Vice President of Nigeria for eight years has suddenly become a foreigner in Nigeria?
“How can a man who served this country as a Customs’ Officer and has many establishments that contribute immensely to the development of this country suddenly not become a true Nigerian?”.
Frank also stressed that the politics of holding to straws in a failed attempt to dent the image of patriotic and respected Nigerians like Atiku is reprehensible.
“If a man like Atiku, who has sacrificed so much by contributing to the development of Nigeria and stabilizing the country’s economy and democracy through numerous job creation, quality leadership and uniting the country is not a true Nigerian in Malami’s thinking, then let Malami tell us what he, as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has contributed to this country after benefitting so much from Nigeria”, he stated
