4th April, 2023
Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi has described allegations of treason and insurrection against him by the Federal Government as malicious and fictitious.
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Monday in Washington, US, accused Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed of committing treason and insurrection by inciting Nigerians against the winner of the presidential election.
“Obi and his Vice, Datti Ahmed cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sworn in on May 29, it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria.
“This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing. Obi’s statement is that of a desperate person, he is not a democrat that he claimed to be. A democrat should not believe in democracy only when he wins election,” Mohammed said.
Reacting to this in series of tweets, Obi said in the past few days, he had observed various campaigns of calumny directed at his person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC.
“It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am, and my core values, is coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious.
“I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I have 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,” he said.
According to Obi, “I am on record as always, advocating for peace and issue-based campaign and never campaigned based on ethnicity or religion. I am committed to due process, and presently seeking redress in the Court.
“I urge those engaged in this demarketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in such 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.”