Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has strongly condemned Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila over his controversial remarks telling an opposition lawmaker to “scatter” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid its leadership crisis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, Frank described Gbajabiamila’s comments as reckless, dangerous, and reflective of an alleged plot by the Tinubu administration to destabilise opposition parties and weaken Nigeria’s democracy.
The backlash stems from a viral video from the 50th birthday celebration of the wife of Hon. Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi) held in Abuja.
In the clip, Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, urged Abejide to stay in the troubled ADC, fight internal rivals, and resist any move to defect to the APC.
“Stay in that same ADC. Fight them. Scatter them. Hold on to your party, ADC… A party that you have built with your sweat, your money, and everything. Continue. Good luck in court,” Gbajabiamila said.
The ADC has been rocked by factional battles, with INEC refusing to recognise either side until the courts resolve the matter.
Frank argued that such statements from a top government official raise serious constitutional red flags, including potential interference with the judiciary.
“Your statement, as Chief of Staff, raises serious concerns about the determination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s regime to truncate democracy,” he said.
“An inference can be made that there is an infringement on the independence of the judiciary.”
He further claimed the remarks signal a broader strategy to weaken opposition parties like the PDP, LP, NNPP, and ADC in order to consolidate power.
“When a Chief of Staff speaks, it reflects the body language of the President. This points to a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition and consolidate power,” Frank added.
In a sharp escalation, the ex-APC chieftain called on the United States government to investigate and sanction Gbajabiamila, noting his status as a US citizen.
He questioned whether the presidential aide meets his tax obligations and labelled him “a bad ambassador of the United States.”
Frank demanded Gbajabiamila’s immediate resignation, saying such conduct would not be tolerated in America, and announced plans to petition the US Embassy in Nigeria.
The incident has intensified debates about executive overreach and the health of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy ahead of future elections.
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