Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Buhari Administration will not be distracted by frivolous allegations from any quarter, especially those cleverly choreographed to divert attention from a widely-acclaimed presidential proclamation and to shore up support for a waning and egotistical cause.
In a statement in Lagos on Friday, the Minister said the
administration is too busy trying to clear the mess of 16 years and build on its unprecedented achievements over the past three years to waste its energy and time on framing up anyone or dwelling on issues
that are not grounded in fact.
He said while those who have skeletons in their wardrobes should be afraid, even of their own shadows, innocent persons need not worry
about any investigation, whether real or imagined.
”This administration will never engage in a frame-up of innocent
citizens. That is neither in the character of President Muhammadu
Buhari nor in that of his administration. Only the guilty should be
worried. To paraphrase an African proverb, a man who has no wife
cannot lose an inlaw to the cold hands of death.
”The administration is also strongly committed to the tenets of
democracy, including freedom of speech and the right to dissent. But
we understand that those who, in their time, were untethered to those
principles would find it hard to believe,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
The Minister said it was curious that the frame-up and witch-hunt
allegations came a day after a major presidential proclamation
reversing some past acts of injustice was made, to the relief and
acclamation of a long-expectant nation.
”Apparently, the impact of this proclamation was too much to bear by
those who, through acts of omission or commission, helped to deepen
the wounds inflicted by the blow of injustice that followed an
election that was widely acclaimed to be free, fair and credible,
hence they felt the need for a red herring that will distract the
nation.
”Added to that is the frustration brought about by the fact that the
contraption they have so much hyped as a freeway to power has failed
to gain traction. Faced with this double tragedy, even the strongest
of men may begin to succumb to a figment of their imagination. They
may start crying wolf where there is none,” he said.
Mohammed said the unprecedented achievements of the Buhari
Administration are also enough to cause sleepless nights, with the
attendant symptoms that include phantasm, for those who had better
opportunities to make the country great but floundered on the altar of
narcissism.
The Minister also said President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated uncommon courage by declaring June 12 as Democracy Day.
Mohammed said this while speaking with newsmen after a condolence visit to the office of Punch Newspapers over the death of its Chairman, Mr Gbadebowale Aboderin.
The minister was accompanied on the visit by chiefs of government media organisations.
The minister added that the president had shown that he was a democrat and a listening leader with the declaration to immortalise late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12,1993 election.
He also said Buhari had strengthened his human rights credential by conferring the GCON award on late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN).
“President Buhari has actually demonstrated uncommon courage and shown that he is a listening president by the decision to make June 12 Democracy Day as against May 29.
“Simply put, the president has immortalised MKO Abiola and that is no mean feat. All lovers of democracy must stand with the president on the decision.
“By hearkening to the yearnings of Nigerians, President Buhari has shown he is indeed a consummate democrat.
“With the decision, he has shown he is a better democrat and more courageous leader than those who, despite the significance of June 12, opted to celebrate May 29 for many years,” he said.
The minister faulted the claims by critics, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the president was playing politics with the declaration.
The minister questioned the moral authority of the PDP to make the claim as they refused to honour Abiola throughout their 16 years in power.
Mohammed said successive presidents “merely danced on Abiola’s grave for 16 years as they bluntly refused to listen to the voices of Nigerians.”
He said the PDP did not recognise the date because members of the party lacked the sincerity and courage to do so.
The minister reiterated that President Buhari never made the declaration out of expediency, but because that was the right thing to do.
” We are fortified and glad that both the families of Abiola and Fawehinmi have lauded the president for the declaration,’’ he added.
Mohammed also described the death of the late Punch Chairman as a painful loss, adding that Aboderin’s demise was shocking.
The minister described Aboderin as an enterprising young man who did a lot to lift the media industry as well as impact on many with his philanthropic activities.
He said the Federal Government shared in the loss of Punch Newspapers.
“It is quite sad when the life of a young man like Aboderin is cut short.
“He was a wonderful person, a dynamic and enterprising young man who did a lot to take Punch to a new level both as a business and as a newspaper,’’ he said.
Mohammed disclosed that President Buhari was personally touched by Aboderin’s demise, hence his condolence statement.
Reacting, the Managing Director of Punch Newspapers, Mr Ademola Osinubi, thanked the minister for the visit.
He said the newspaper was grateful as the minister made the visit out of his tight schedule.
The managing director also thanked the president for his condolences, saying the organisation was moved by his concern.
Mr Austeen Elewodalu, a Director of News at Voice of Nigeria; Mr Ibrahim Mamanga, the Head of Lagos operations for NAN; Mr Pius Ojeh, Deputy Director Marketing, Nigeria Television Authority were in the minister’s delegation.
Also in the delegation was Adeyinka Amosu, Director of Lagos operations for Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
