Chief Goddy Uwazurike, president emeritus of Aka Ikenga, an Igbo think tank, has slammed Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, over his statement accusing Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, of treason.
Chief Uwazurike noted that Mr. Mohammed’s allegation was a “Quixzotic display of a narrow minded and forgetful person.”
The Lagos based lawyer who is the president of Credibility Group, a rights advocacy group, in a statement on Wednesday, wondered whether going to court to challenge the outcome of the February 25 presidential election as Mr. Obi and Baba-Ahmed have done now amounted to treason.
“The recent statement by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed accusing the presidential candidate of Labour party of treason is nothing but Quixzotic display of a narrow minded and forgetful person,” he said.
“Indeed, only a person suffering from myopia will descend to the level of equating going to court to challenge election results with treason. Myopia because the President of Nigeria, Muhamadu Buhari challenged the outcome of the 2003, 2007 & 2011 in the election tribunals the same Peter Obi and Atiku are doing now. Nobody accused Buhari of treason. Nobody threatened to arrest him and his followers, including you.”
Uwazurike advised Mohammed to “retrace his steps and apologize to the nation for de-marketing Nigeria.”
He accused the federal government and security agencies of turning a blind eye to the attacks on the Igbo and other non Yoruba groups in Lagos during the governorship and presidential elections.
Uwazurike also called out the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for imposing fines of broadcast stations on the “directive of Bayo Onanuga,” spokesperson for Bola Tinubu presidential campaign.
He noted that, “Again, the notorious gang of four, also known as the media campaign team, have gone overboard in destroying the freedom of the media and inter ethnic harmony. Bayo Onanuga coughs and the NBC swings into action. The other day, Arise TV and now Channels TV all at the whims and caprices of the gang of four. Today, all non Yoruba and Hausa people are seen as Igbo in Lagos and must be disenfranchised.
“The security arrangements are not for the Igbo in Lagos. Any statement in protest must be met with a sledge hammer.
“Enough of the derailing of the harmony of the society and the freedom of the press. For record purposes, Bayo Onanuga, Dele Alake and Femi Fani Kayode are non indigenous residents while Festus Keyamo and I are regarded by Bayo Onanuga & company as Igbo people.
“Let common sense come back to Nigeria. Bayo Onanuga and co rejoiced over Kemi of UK and Kemi of the Republic of Island for winning election in Europe and have declared hostility towards non indigenous people. The security agencies have seen no evil and heard no evil.”