The Labour Party (LP) has denied the allegation by the Federal Government that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, incited Nigerians to violence over the outcome of the presidential election.
Party was reacting to the accusation by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, during an interview with some international media organisations on the just concluded 2023 election.
During the interview, Mohammed had accused Obi of inciting people to violence while seeking redress in court over the outcome of the election.
But in a statement on Tuesday, the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, said Obi is a law-abiding and peaceful person, stressing that the accusation against the former Governor of Anambra was to tarnish his image.
Abure stated that despite the fact that the election was provocatively rigged, the LP flagbearer has decided to be peaceful and to follow the part of justice. He added that the admonishing to Obi was done in bad faith.
The LP chairman said it was the party and its candidate that was attacked in Lagos, in Portharcourt and all other states in the federation, adding that it has continued to be peaceful.
He alleged that the spokespersons of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have engaged in “provocative utterances to cause chaos” and the government has failed to accuse them of a treasonable act.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to a media report accredited to the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed to the effect that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi is inciting people to violence.
“The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was on a familiarisation tour of misinforming the international community of the true political situation in Nigeria yesterday during his official engagements with some international media organisations in Washington DC admonished Mr Obi for weeping up sentiments across Nigeria.
“The Minister who engaged respectively with the Washington Post, Voice of America, Associated Press and Foreign Policy Magazine said it was wrong for Obi on one breadth to seek redress in court over the outcome of the polls and on another breadth inciting people to violence.
“Let me state categorically that there is no basis for that admonition. Our presidential candidate is a peaceful and law-abiding person. Despite the fact that the election was provocatively rigged, he decided to be peaceful and to toe the part of justice.
“In spite of all pressures from our supporters to move into the street to protest the outcome of the general election and to reclaim the mandate freely given to our candidate by the people, he has decided to calm the nerves in order to give the judicial process a chance.
“The presidential candidate of the Labour Party is the only candidate whose campaign was issues based. In spite of all provocation, it was the Labour Party and its candidate that was attacked in Lagos, in Portharcourt and all other states in the federation. But we have continued to promote peace.
“Therefore, for the Minister of Information and Culture to be admonishing our Presidential Candidate, was done in bad faith. We, therefore, caution the Minister to desist from such utterances.
“It is our considered opinion that it is even the APC through their spokespersons and all others who have been engaged in provocative utterances in order to cause chaos that should be admonished. The admonition is largely for APC themselves, their spokespersons and their officials.”
