Mr Timi Frank (left) and President Bola Tinubu
The quest by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be recognized in the Guinness World Records over reforms initiated by him since assumption of office is a misplaced venture, a political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, said on Friday.
He was reacting to the President’s comment in that regard during his recent trip to Germany. According to him, no investor would be willing to invest in a country with negative world record as they would always do background checks before they go anywhere.
Tinubu had while addressing an audience at the 10th German-Nigerian Business Forum, in Germany, said, “Nigeria voted for me for reforms and from day one of my inauguration, I started the reforms. To me, if you didn’t mention me in the Guinness Book of Records, I’d strive to find a way to insert myself because I did it without expectation.”
But Frank in a statement in Abuja insisted that the only world record the President had set is to have inflicted severe economic pains and unbearable hardship on the people.
“You brandish your removal of fuel subsidy on inauguration day as an evidence that you ‘hit the ground running’ but you have failed to realise that that singular action has heated up average citizen with attendant pains, tears and sorrow.
“Your purported reforms have wrecked the nation’s currency with $1 now exchanging for over N1,000, up from N600 prior to your swearing-in as President. Yet you claimed to have broken a record capable of earning you a global recognition in the GWRs,” he said.
He insisted that even though the President claimed he was in Germany to woo investors, that none will be willing to invest in the country because of the negative world records he had already set as a personal.
The activist said “No investor will want to come to Nigeria when they know the President’s character is questionable because investors will always do background checks before they go to anywhere.
“Such background checks would among others reveal the negative reputation of the man inviting them as a certificate forger with proven links to drugs trafficking. Foreign investors will definitely not go to a country with a flawed electoral process or where the judiciary cannot be trusted to guarantee justice to protect their investments.
“So, while investors will not come to Nigeria under your government, your name, if at all, can only be written in Guinness World Records as a certificate forger in line with the ruling of a Chicago Court.”
He also cited some false claims made by the President as additional reasons why his drive for investors would not yield any positive result.
Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, said: “He claimed that he had removed fuel subsidy, but fuel is still being subsidised by his administration even though the people now languish under the burden of astronomical increases in the pump price of fuel and other essential petroleum products.
Frank said, “He claimed that he worked for Deloitte, but Deloitte has since denied having his employment records. This is a President who often claim he is from the private sector, but, which genuine business has he done that qualifies him to be part of the private sector?
“He went to Saudi Arabia and India and upon return claimed he had convinced investors there to invest in Nigeria. But up till this moment no investor from Saudi or India has indicated interest to invest in Nigeria.
“If they didn’t corrupt the system, we’re not supposed to look for investors. Investors are supposed to look for Nigeria with her abundant human and material resources that can attract investors.
“These obvious flaws are reasons why we are mobilising Nigerians, both locally and in diaspora, for a Tinubu must go mass protest to resist and stop all these illegalities and deception, targeted at the gradual annihilation of the people through high cost of food, Medicare, goods and services, among others, in the country.”
