Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, condemned the Presidential election in Zimbabwe.
Frank in a statement in Abuja, also accused the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of “eerie silence in the face of electoral injustice meted on the opposition presidential candidate in Zimbabwe widely believed to have won the election.”
According to Frank, such electoral malpractices often lead to discontent and deep-seated anguish of the people who have been denied the right to freely choose who to lead them.
He insisted that Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared winner in questionable circumstances following reported widespread irregularities allegedly orchestrated by the ruling party in opposition strongholds.
He noted that the candidate of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), Nelson Chamisa, was robbed of votes as attested by international observers and the South African Regional body that monitored the election.
The head of the European Union’s observer mission said the vote took place in a “climate of fear”, while the Southern African regional bloc SADC’s mission raised issues including voting delays, issues with the voter roll, and reported bans on opposition rallies.
“For example, voting was forced into an unprecedented second day because of delays in the printing of ballot papers in some key districts including the capital Harare, an opposition stronghold principally to deny Chamisa of votes,” he said.
He condemned a situation where African ruling parties are allegedly violating the electoral rights of the opposition parties and their candidates saying “the trend will continue if measures are not taken to make African Heads of States respect the sanctity of the ballot box.”
He urged regional political blocs like the AU and ECOWAS to urgently call the President of Zimbabwe to order as a step towards curbing coup d’état now rearing its ugly head in many African countries like the recent one in Niger Republic.
He called on the United States of America, United Kingdom and other international bodies, to lend their voice to condemn the electoral heist in Zimbabwe if they are genuinely interested in ending coups in Africa.
“So we are telling the international community that until they come together to make sure that African elections are transparent, free and fair, coups will not end in Africa,” he declared.
He called for urgent international sanctions against the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa and any President who allegedly rigs election in Africa to fraudulently perpetuate themselves in office against the wish of the people.
“The United Nations must ensure that henceforth Presidents or heads of governments that were rigged into office are not invited to attend its General Assembly or any of its international gatherings,” he said.
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