The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has berated the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, over his response to the comment on the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Recall that the Ayo Adebanjo-led Afenifere had berated the minister for accusing Obi, and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, of inciting people to violence over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
But in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Washington, United States of America, Mohammed said Afenifere is pained that its preferred candidate lost in the election.
The minister added that the attack on him by the organization was borne out of frustration and anger at the loss of their investment in Obi’s candidacy.
He said: “It is clear from what they said that Afenifere invested heavily in Peter Obi’s presidency, and they failed woefully, that is the reason why they are lamenting.
“They have refused to get over the loss of what they invested in Obi’s presidential campaign. But the earlier they do, the better for them.”
Mohammed stated that Afenifere had lost its reputation and relevance as the voice of the South-West because of its style of politics.
He added: “Fortunate were days when Afenifere sneezes the whole country will catch a cold. It is not the same thing right now.
“When Afenifere talks and you begin to ask yourself, which Afenifere? you know what that means.”
Electronic Results Transmission
Speaking further, Mohammed asserted that there was no provision in the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that allows the Commission to transmit the results of elections electronically.
The minister said the entire electoral process from voting to collation to sorting to tabulation and transmission was manual.
He said the laws setting up INEC, give the Commission the right to determine the mode of elections, the mode of collation and the transmission of results.
National Apology To Obi
The minister also responded to a call by a civic organisation, Integrity Group, who asked for his national apology on his allegation against Obi.
Mohammed said the group had failed to understand the position of the Federal Government on the unacceptable postures of the LP flag bearer.
He said: “I said Peter Obi and the Labour Party should stop inciting people to violence since they have submitted themselves to the election tribunal.
They should stop asking people to go out on the streets, they should stop the reckless statement that if the President-elect is sworn-in, it will be the end of democracy.”
