Treason: End campaign of calumny, Peter Obi tells FG
Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government and spokesmen of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop the campaign of calumny against him, noting that the campaigns were damaging the image of Nigeria on the global stage.
Obi spoke in response to the admonishment of the Federal Government that he and his running mate in the 2023 presidential poll, Dr Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, should stop inciting people to violence over the outcome of the presidential election.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the admonition in Washington DC during his official engagements with some international media organisations on the just concluded 2023 polls, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Asking the Federal Government and Spokespersons of the APC to stop the campaign of calumny against his person, Obi noted that the campaign was de-marketing Nigeria on the global stage.
Obi, who said this in a statement in Abuja, explained that the various campaigns of calumny directed at him by some government and political party spokespersons would be a disservice to the nation in the long run.
His words: “In the past few days, I’ve observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, the latest being allegations attributed to Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, from Washington DC.
“It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me are quite contrary to what I am and my core values are coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is malicious and fictitious.
“I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I’ve never sponsored or preached any action against the Nigerian state.
“Those initiating these actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me. I’m on record as always advocating peace and issue-based campaigns and not campaigning based on ethnicity or religion.
“ I’m committed to due process and I am presently seeking redress in court. I urge those engaged in this demarketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in such a bad light.
“Our future generations deserve a new Nigeria where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes. It is possible”
I am saddened by Lai Mohammed’s action — Obi
Speaking specifically on Lai Mohammed’s comments, Obi said that he was not perturbed by the Minister bandying around the word ‘treason’ because, as far as he (Obi) was concerned, he had taken the legal route toward the recovery of his mandate and that he remained committed to that. “Any person ‘seeing’ treason in a clear legal process should explain to Nigerians how opting for the tribunal by myself and my Deputy amounts to treason,” Obi said.
Regretting what he described as “recklessness” by some Nigerians, Obi said it was utterly perplexing that a Minister would be busy travelling around the world, telling Nigerians that the purpose was to tell the world the true story of the Nigerian election.” Obi said it was laughable, against the background of the fact that most of those countries sent their people to monitor the election and have all received reports from the monitors, as well as from their embassies. “Obi asked: “Between Lai Mohammed and their monitors/embassies, who would these countries believe?”
He further said that such reckless behaviour, sponsored with taxpayers’ money, was among the reasons those countries often do not take Nigeria seriously. “The billions spent on those meaningless trips would be enough to fix several dilapidated schools in the country,” Obi said.
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