By: Ollus Ndomu
The Nigerian Federal Government has issued a stern warning to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, cautioning him against making any further incendiary, self-serving, and provocative statements regarding the ongoing electoral process.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, warned the former President against any attempts to disrupt the elections in Africa’s most populous nation.
The statement was made available to the media by Segun Adeyemi, the Special Assistant to the President (Media) Office of the Minister.
Mr. Mohammed expressed his shock and dismay that a former President could make unsubstantiated claims and propagate wild allegations about the electoral process, which he had cunningly disguised as an appeal for caution and rectification.
He further warned that such behavior could lead to a willful incitement of violence.
“Though masquerading as an unbiased and concerned elder statesman, former President Obasanjo is in reality a known partisan who is bent on thwarting, by subterfuge, the choice of millions of Nigerian voters,” he said.
Mr Mohammed recalled that the former president, in his time, organised perhaps the worst elections since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
According to the minister, Mr Obasanjo is the least qualified to advise a president whose determined effort to leave a legacy of free, fair, credible and transparent elections is well acknowledged within and outside Nigeria.
“As the whole nation waits with bated breath for the result of last Saturday’s national elections amid unnecessary tension created by professional complainants and political jesters, what is expected from a self-respecting elder statesman are words and actions that douse tension and serve as a soothing balm.
“Instead, former President Obasanjo used his unsolicited letter to insinuate, or perhaps wish for, an inconclusive elections and a descent into anarchy.
“He used his time to cast aspersion on electoral officials who are unable to defend themselves, while surreptitiously seeking to dress his personal choice in the garb of the people’s choice. This is duplicitous,” he said.
The Minister reminded the former President that organizing elections in Nigeria is no small task.
He noted that the country’s voter population of 93,469,008 was 16,742,916 more than the total number of registered voters in the 14 West African nations combined, which totaled 76,726,092; adding that this demonstrates the immense complexity of the undertaking.
