Nigerian News

Elder statesman, Edwin Clark calls for arrest of Lai Mohammed for spreading fake news against Obi

Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has called for the arrest of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, over his comment about the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The elder statesman said the minister should be prosecuted for spreading what he termed fake news and propaganda against Obi.

Clark, a former Commissioner for Information, accused Mohammed of causing more ”divisions in the country” as Minister of Information for eight years now, rather than unite the country.

In a statement on Monday, the ex-leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), described the minister’s job as the image maker of government for the past eight years as disappointing, recalling that he held a similar post 48 years ago when he was appointed by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon as Federal Commissioner for Information in 1975.

The Information minister had on April 5 in Washington DC, said both Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed made comments over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election tantamount to treason.

Baba-Ahmed had in a recent interview asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria not to swear in the President-Elect on May 29, adding that democracy in Nigeria will end should the inauguration hold.

Clark, who condemned Mohammed for not basing his accusations on any report or information given by any state agency, but on mere propaganda urged President Buhari to call him to order, noting that the “nation is already too tensed; those whose responsibility it is to douse the tension should not be the ones stoking the embers of a fire that will flame up the country.”

The statement read; “Lai Mohammed as Minister of Information of the country, for the eight years now, since the inception of President Buhari’s Government, rather than uniting the country as his job implies, by creating an atmosphere for Nigerians to live together as brothers and sisters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has instead, caused divisions in the country.

“Lai Mohammed as Minister of Information of the country, for the eight years now, since the inception of President Buhari’s Government, rather than uniting the country as his job implies, by creating an atmosphere for Nigerians to live together as brothers and sisters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has instead, caused divisions in the country.

“I had on several occasions condemned this conduct of his attempting to suppress, gag and intimidate the press. He has used the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as an agent of his Ministry. NBC is no longer the independent organisation which it used to be, treating the press as a noble profession, made up of noble practitioners. A case in point is the five million naira fine slammed on Channels Television without even the rudiments of natural justice, in this case, a fair hearing, which is a basic procedure of justice to ensure fairness. Rather, slamming media houses with fines without hearing from the media houses, is the trial that has now become a constant weapon of intimidation and harassment of the press…”

Clark added; “It is clear therefore that the Minister of Information has constituted himself to become the mastermind and disseminator of fake news. This leaves us with no option than to call on the Attorney General of the nation to undertake thorough investigation of the activities of the Minister and charge him to court.

“Lai Mohammed as Information Minister and chief propagandist of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Government was cut to size and became very uncomfortable for the growing popularity of Mr. Peter Obi’s appeal to the exuberant Nigeria youths who practically demonstrated their support for Mr. Peter Obi and the obedient that came in droves to take back their country.

“The impression that gained ground at the time was that Obi was only popular on social media and not on ground, but Obi’s performance within the short time he entered the race made him the man of the moment in the presidential election. Lai Mohammed therefore in his usual characteristics carried fake news within and outside Nigeria to discredit and tarnish the reputation of Mr. Peter Obi.

“It is criminal, unpatriotic and wicked for anyone to draw the name of Mr. Peter Obi who fully participated in the 2023 Presidential Election and who has gone to court to express his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the presidential election and his popularity which has spread to all part of the country as a wildfire has no doubt caused a great embarrassment to the Federal Government.

What is being alleged as a discovery of a plot to overthrown the Federal Government by DSS is malicious and untrue. Finally, one cannot help but note that Lai Mohammed’s actions are targeted against perceived political opponents and enemies. I wish to strongly advice Mr. President to call his spokesmen to order. The nation is already too tensed; those whose responsibility it is to douse the tension should not be the ones stoking the embers of fire that will flame up the country.”