Political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Saturday, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to call the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to order over his penchant for using state forces to suppress the media and free speech.
Frank in a statement in Abuja, described the antics of Osinbajo in using the judiciary and security agencies to intimidate, harass and coerce journalists and media houses, as not only unbecoming but an act of cowardice.
He said it has become necessary for Buhari to remind Osinbajo of his oath of office and equally prevail on him to refrain from intimidating journalists who are doing their legitimate duties by availing the Nigerian public of information on the activities of their elected representatives being paid and maintained with tax payers’ money.
He wondered why Prof. Osinbajo would hide under the immunity conferred on him by reason of his office to use government resources to influence judicial officers to do his bidding against helpless media houses.
The Bayelsa-born political activist however urged the Vice President to be courageous enough to resign his office and head to court to prove his innocence concerning allegations against him instead of using his position as VP to unduly intimidate, harass and vilify the media.
Frank said: “Buhari need to remind Osinbajo that Nigeria is currently under a democratic dispensation and not a military or autocratic rule, where brute force, coercion, threats and impunity reigns.
“Osinbajo is known for using operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Police and the Courts to threaten journalists whenever stories concerning allegations of abuse of office are published.
“This is the height of impunity and a flagrant abuse of office by the Vice President, which is impeachable.
“He needs to come clean and resign from the office of VP so the world know who he truly is.”
He reminded Osinbajo that Nigerians have every right to call out their leaders whenever they perceive that such leaders have derailed from his oath of office “and the Vice President is no exception to that rule.”
He added: “Nigerians have a constitutional right to query or call out their elected representatives when the need arises and as such, Osinbajo must know that, as a democratically elected government, this administration is not different from others whose officials were subjected to similar criticisms.
“Or is there anything the Vice President trying hide by resorting to state apparatchik and intimidatory stunts to cover his tracks?”
The former APC’s deputy spokesman therefore urged to the President to caution the VP to desist from his intimidatory stunts capable of further exposing his activities.
