A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa state, Hon. Sunday Frank-Oputu, has backed the United States government over the decision to impose visa restrictions on some Nigerian politicians involved in undermining democracy in the country.
According to him, the action of the United State government should be emulated by other countries of the world to put an end to acts of electoral fraud, imposition of candidates, rigging, violence in the nation’s electoral processes.
Hon. Frank-Oputu also called on traditional rulers in Nigeria to take the bold step of withdrawing the chieftaincy honors bestowed on the listed politicians over their alleged involvement in cases of electoral fraud.
Frank-Oputu, who is a chieftain of the APC from the Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, said the decision to impose restriction ban on the listed Nigerian politicians should serve as a reward for years of electoral fraud committed by the political class to subvert the will of the Nigerian people.
He said: “I want to urge all the grade A and B countries in the world to ensure that this ban does not only end in US it has to also go to UK, Germany, France, Russia, Holland.
“All grade A and B countries in the world should ban politicians who want to ride on the people who believe impunity is the only source of their power. or impunity is what gives them pleasure. They want to ride on the people’s back as their horse. It is unfortunate. And if this kind of strict measures are taken against them, I think it will give us some relief.”
Frank-Oputu called on the traditional Institution to rise above sentiments and support the United States action by withdrawing the honours bestowed on the politicians involved in electoral fraud and those sponsoring violence during election.
He said: “I am using this medium to call on our communities, our royal fathers that people who rig elections, and do not allow election to take place and announce falsified results at every given opportunity, should also be sanctioned.
“Those who have been made chiefs, or whatever title given to them should be withdrawn, they should be derobed of their chieftancy portfolios. You will go and announce results that am the king of this community but I never heard there was an election here. Why do you do that? Then it behold on us as a people that our society is not fighting back it’s only the evils, that are having their way”.
On the alleged listing of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva as one of those with imposed visa restriction, Frank-Oputu argued that such listing of the Bayelsa APC leader is well deserved, saying: “Chief Timipre Slyva, should be banned from entering UK and every other grade A and grade B country . 99% of the APC members in Bayelsa are happy that Sylva is banned from entering America, but we also urge the international community to extend it to all the Grade A and B countries.
“Sylva has caused havoc in APC. Since 2014 that APC came into existence in Bayelsa state we have never had primary election. It’s all about hand picking, quarrel, fights, when are we going to get it right? Is it until he passes on? And I don’t think we have that patience to wait till he passes on because he’s not going to pass on now.
“He has a very long way to live in life as a man, and still a very bright future. But my problem with him is his life style of impunity. We are happy that Sylva is banned, calling on the federal government also to have some measures on those who go about rigging elections in their states”
“Look at the senatorial election that was conducted how many days ago, was there any primary carried out in Bayelsa state? Senatorial primary was characterized by falsified results that have been given out with winners announced. They have emerged from a primary that was never conducted. In the history of APC, at no time has the party officials from the ward and local government and state had pleasure to say they are happy.”
