2019 presidency: Ex-APC chieftain, Frank reveals how Buhari ‘intends to withdraw $3.5bilion from CBN to fund campaign’

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has accused the presidency of
plotting to withdraw the sum of $3.5bilion from the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, to fund the 2019 reelection campaign of President
Muhammadu Buhari.

Frank, in a statement he signed and issued to DAILY POST in Abuja on
Thursday, said the whooping sum represents the amount the presidency
is planning to pull out from one single source to fund Buhari's
re-election.

He also claimed that the presidency has already commenced spurious tax
assessment against local businesses and multinationals operating in
the country to raise additional dollars to finance the election.

He said that the Foriegn Reserve Account is also being scrutinized to
determine how much can be 'safely pulled out' of it without arousing
suspicion from the public for the same purpose.

Frank said, "It is unfortunate that Buhari has decided to jettison his
avowed 'integrity' and playing along with rouge elements in his
cabinet to perpetuate illegality in order to fund his re-election.

"This unholy move further represents a fundamental breach of the
Constitution, since the proposed withdrawals have not been presented
to the National Assembly for consideration and approval in line with
Section 80 (3) of the Constitution.

"He said that the illegal tax assessment against Nigerian businesses
and multinationals under the guise of 'royalty payments' amounts to
double taxation, capable of stifling investment inflows into the
country and further fueling the already saturated unemployment
situation in the country.

"I am still wondering why a government that is still foot-dragging in
approving the payment of N30,000 minimum wage demanded by workers
intends to assault the country with such brazen finagling with its
commonwealth.

"How can companies already under severe yoke of a depressed economy
again be made to cough out $200million in 'taxes' with the direct
consequences of massive job loses being imminent?" he queried.

Frank stated that the international community is aware of the
suffocating business environment in Nigeria as attested to by a former
United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development, Priti
Patel, who in a recent Op-Ed for the London business newspaper, City
A.M., sternly warned investors to be wary about doing business in
Nigeria.

The former APC deputy spokesman continued, "How can a government that
has locked away the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and
prosecution leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party over alleged
diversion of $2.1billion meant to purchase arms to fight against Boko
Haram, now turn around to devise same criminal method to fund their
reelection campaign?

"Little wonder that the APC recently mocked the PDP and its
presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by alleging that they
lack funds to prosecute the 2019 campaigns simply because they are not
in a position to deep their hands into the national coffers like they
have perfected plans to do.

"He called on Nigerians to wake up and resist this looting spree and
financial heist about to be visited on citizens who have rendered
abjectly poor and dehumanized by the clueless leadership provided by
Buhari and the APC since 2015.

"I must say that this illegality and looting arrangement by the
presidency is a direct peep into what their #Next Level Nigeria
Campaign would bring the way of Nigerians should they again be voted
into office in 2019," he stated.

He alleged that the money being pulled out by the presidency is to
enable them buy votes, bribe security and Independent National
Electoral Commission officials on election duty in order to secure
undeserved victory.