The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has criticised the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, over allegations of inciting a post-election insurrection.
At a press conference in Washington DC, Mohammed reportedly warned Obi to desist from stoking violence, following the February 25 presidential election which saw the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
Obi however took to Twitter on Tuesday to denounce the allegations amid tensions over a purported plot to install an interim government.
“In the past few days, I have observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC,” he said.
“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.”
According to Obi, those initiating the actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me.
“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,” he said.
The former Anambra governor urged those whom he described as engaged in “this demarketing process” to stop presenting Nigeria in “such bad light”.
He argued that future generations deserve a new Nigeria, where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes.