The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, condemned the attack on him by the pan‑Yoruba socio‑political organization Afenifere after he stated the Federal Government’s position on the 2023 elections. He addressed the organization’s criticism in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Washington. Afenifere had rebuked the minister for accusing Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi of inciting violence over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
Mohammed said the assault on him stemmed from frustration and anger over Afenifere’s loss of investment in Obi’s ambition. “It is clear from what they said that Afenifere invested heavily in Peter Obi’s presidential bid, and they failed woefully; that is why they are lamenting,” he explained. “They have refused to get over the loss of what they invested in Obi’s campaign. The earlier they do so, the better for them.”
The minister added that Afenifere had lost its reputation and relevance as the voice of the South‑West. “There were days when Afenifere sneezed and the whole country caught a cold. It is not the same now. When Afenifere talks, you begin to ask yourself, ‘Which Afenifere?’ you know what that means,” he said.
Regarding the electoral process, Mohammed stressed that no provision in INEC laws allows the commission to transmit election results electronically. He affirmed that the entire process—from voting to collation, sorting, tabulation, and transmission—is manual. The laws establishing INEC grant the commission the authority to determine the mode of elections, collation, and result transmission.
Mohammed also responded to a call from the civic organization Integrity Group, which demanded a national apology for his comments on Obi. He argued that the group failed to understand the Federal Government’s stance on the Labour Party candidate’s unacceptable behavior. “I said Peter Obi and the Labour Party should stop inciting people to violence since they have submitted themselves to the election tribunal. They should stop urging people to take to the streets and refrain from the reckless statement that if the President‑elect is sworn in, it will be the end of democracy,” he said.
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