Timi Frank

Timi Frank is a Nigerian politician and a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He was suspended from the party in 2016 after criticizing the national chairman of the party and his opposition to the party's nominated candidates in the 2015 National Assembly leadership election which led to the party losing to the renegade members.[1][2][3] Frank currently serves as United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) – an Indonesian Colony ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East.[4]

Political career

Frank from Beyelsa State was a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) before crisis erupted in the party following disputed PDP Governors’ Forum chairmanship election which led to five governors elected on the party ticket to breakaway and formed a factional party known as new PDP (nPDP) led by Kawu Baraje in 2013.[5][6] Frank was appointed the spokesperson of the nPDP and served until the party formed a mega merger with ACN, ANPP, CPC, and a faction of APGA to form All Progressives Congress (APC). Frank was elected deputy national publicity secretary working alongside Lai Mohammed the national publicity secretary of the APC. After the party won the 2015 presidential and election and secured majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, the party nominated Ahmed Lawan for President of the Senate and Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Frank and other members of the party opposed the party's nominated candidates and worked for the election of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara fellow members of the nPDP bloc in the APC for Senate president and speaker of the House.[7]

Frank started having trouble with the party after he was denied ascending to the position of the national publicity secretary of the party following the appointment of Lai Mohammed, the occupier of the office to a ministerial position in 2015. He proclaimed himself the national spokesperson of the APC but the party chairman and secretary countered him and nominated a fresh candidate for the position.[8] In 2016, Frank openly criticized the chairman of the party John Oyegun as incapable of leading the party.[9][10] The party then set up a disciplinary committee to investigate his opposition to the party's interest and his public criticism of the party. Frank refused to appear before the committee describing it as a “Kangaroo Court” and threatened to destabilize the party should he be suspended but the committee went on to suspend him from the party in November 2016.

In April 2018, Blueprint in an article quoting an “impeccable source” reported that Timi had been endorsed by the APC Youth wing and was consulting South – South leaders of the APC for a possible run for the chairmanship position of the party from the nPDP bloc in the party's 2018 national convention despite being suspended from the party in controversial circumstances.[11] His ambition was thwarted after the party endorsed a consensus candidate.  On 2 August 2021, the interim president of the Provisional Government of United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) – a Colony of Indonesia appointed Frank as an ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East to advance the campaign for the liberation and independence of the colony.[4]

References

  1. ^ "APC Panel recommends suspension of deputy spokesperson, Timi Frank". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  2. ^ "Timi Frank: A Call To Order By Sa'ad Ahmed Ajani | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  3. ^ Olagoke, Bode (2023-08-10). "Timi Frank to Senators, Reps: Return Akpabio's illegal 'enjoyment allowance' to FG". Blueprint Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  4. ^ a b "Just in: Timi Frank gets international appointment". Vanguard. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  5. ^ "We'll Rescue Nigerians from APC the way we rescued her from PDP —Timi Frank". 19 May 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  6. ^ Anigbogu, Joy (30 April 2023). "Timi Frank To Sylva: Tell Nigerians Your True Identity, Certificates". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  7. ^ "APC rejects leader, Timi Frank's comment on Saraki's corruption trial". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  8. ^ "APC deputy publicity secretary rejects party's new spokesman". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  9. ^ "APC probes deputy spokesperson critical of chairman Oyegun". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  10. ^ Ogbolu, George Oshogwe (2019-12-16). "APC Dismisses Claim FIRS Financed Buhari/Osinbajo 2019 Election". Naija News. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  11. ^ III, Admin (2018-04-17). "Timi Frank joins APC national chairmanship race". Blueprint Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 2023-10-17.