Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has called for the arrest of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed. He should be arrested because of the comments regarding Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi. The former politician says the minister should be prosecuted for spreading false news and propaganda against Obi.
Lai Mohammed had on April 5 in Washington DC said both Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, made comments over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election that was tantamount to treason.
In a recent interview, Baba-Ahmed urged Nigeria’s Chief Justice not to swear in the president-elect on May 29. He added that the inauguration would mark the end of Nigeria’s democracy.
Chief of Staff Edwin Clark accused Mohammed of having created more “internal divisions“. Basically, he hasn’t done much to aid the unity of the country during his eight years as Minister of Information.
Clark described the minister’s job as the image maker of government for the past eight years. However, his record so far has been disappointing. He recalled that he held a similar position 48 years ago. at the time, he was appointed by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon as Federal Commissioner for Information in 1975.
Clark, who condemned Mohammed for not basing his accusations on any report or information given by any state agency, but on mere propaganda urged President Buhari to call him to order, noting that the “nation is already too tensed; those whose responsibility it is to douse the tension should not be the ones stoking the embers of a fire that will flame up the country.”
“Lai Mohammed as Minister of Information of the country, for the eight years now, since the inception of President Buhari’s government, rather than uniting the country as his job implies, by creating an atmosphere for Nigerians to live together as brothers and sisters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has instead, caused divisions in the country.“I had on several occasions condemned this conduct of his attempting to suppress, gag and intimidate the press. He has used the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as an agent of his Ministry. NBC is no longer the independent organisation which it used to be, treating the press as a noble profession, made up of noble practitioners. A case in point is the five million naira fine slammed on Channels Television without even the rudiments of natural justice, in this case, a fair hearing, which is a basic procedure of justice to ensure fairness. Rather, slamming media houses with fines without hearing from the media houses, is the trial that has now become a constant weapon of intimidation and harassment of the press…
“It is clear therefore that the Minister of Information has constituted himself to become the mastermind and disseminator of fake news. This leaves us with no option than to call on the Attorney General of the nation to undertake thorough investigation of the activities of the minister and charge him to court.
“Lai Mohammed as Information Minister and chief propagandist of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government was cut to size and became very uncomfortable for the growing popularity of Mr. Peter Obi’s appeal to the exuberant Nigeria youths who practically demonstrated their support for Mr. Peter Obi and the Obedient that came in droves to take back their country.
“The impression that gained ground at the time was that Obi was only popular on social media and not on ground, but Obi’s performance within the short time he entered the race made him the man of the moment in the presidential election. Lai Mohammed therefore in his usual characteristics carried fake news within and outside Nigeria to discredit and tarnish the reputation of Mr. Peter Obi.
“It is criminal, unpatriotic and wicked for anyone to draw the name of Mr. Peter Obi who fully participated in the 2023 presidential election and who has gone to court to express his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the presidential election and his popularity which has spread to all part of the country as a wildfire has no doubt caused a great embarrassment to the Federal Government.
“What is being alleged as a discovery of a plot to overthrow the Federal Government by DSS is malicious and untrue. Finally, one cannot help but note that Lai Mohammed’s actions are targeted against perceived political opponents and enemies. I wish to strongly advice Mr. President to call his spokesmen to order. The nation is already too tensed; those whose responsibility it is to douse the tension should not be the ones stoking the embers of fire that will flame up the country.”
cc: Independent Ng
