The federal government on Saturday raised fresh alarm that the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice president, Atiku
Abubakar, were working to make Nigeria ungovernable with the intention
of overthrowing President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the
2019 edition of the Annual Ramadan Lecture held at Oro, Kwara State,
declared that they were trying “reverse” democracy.
According to him, Atiku and the PDP were carrying out acts to undermine the Buhari government just to heat up the polity.
He said: “This is the Holy month of Ramadan, and Muslim Faithful all
over the world observe it with fasting, prayers, self-purification,
renewed focus on religion and sense of community.
“It is therefore appropriate to use this occasion to call on all
Nigerians to pray for our dear country, to pray for peace and unity.
“I make this request against the background of those who are daily
plotting to exploit our national fault lines of religion and ethnicity,
those who masquerade as democrats but can’t take electoral defeat, those
who will not hesitate to collude with anti-democratic forces and
deadenders to fan the embers of violence in the country and those who
have elevated their personal ambition over and above our survival as a
nation.
“As you are aware, a few days ago we raised the alarm that either by
themselves or via their proxies, the PDP and it’s presidential candidate
are doing everything possible to sabotage the Buhari Administration,
generally overheat the polity and make Nigeria seemingly ungovernable.
“Of course you are aware of similar alarms that have been raised by the police, the military and the DSS.
“Since our intervention, pseudo and partisan analysts have teamed up
with the spokesmen for the main opposition party and its presidential
candidate to either exhibit their ignorance or to engage in red herring
and name calling. We are neither distracted nor dissuaded.
*Our interventions are based on credible evidence, and no government
with the kind of evidence that we have, of plans to subvert the power of
the state, attack the nation’s economic live wire and generally unleash
mayhem on the polity, will keep quiet.
“The security agencies are all alert to their responsibilities and
will not sit by and allow anyone to reverse the gains of our democracy
under any guise.
“I want to end my speech by thanking all Nigerians for their support
and prayers for the Buhari Administration, and to urge them not to
relent, especially in the run up to the May 29th inauguration of Mr
President.”
