‘It’s treason’, Nigerian govt says Peter Obi, Baba-Ahmed’s utterances can trigger insurrection

The Federal Government has warned Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against inciting violence over the outcome of the Presidential elections.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed gave the warning in Washington DC during his official engagements with some international media organisations.

Obi has been at the centre of discussions regarding alleged plots by some key political players to undermine democracy in favour of interim government in the country.

A leaked audio where the former Anambra State governor had engaged with Bishop David Oyedepo before the just-concluded 2023 elections has also elicited varied condemnations among Nigerians.

Mohammed, during interactions with media organizations in the US, slammed Obi for allegedly inciting violence in the country after submitting petitions at the tribunal.

The minister also described Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s recent warning against the May 29 inauguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as treasonable.

Read also:ACF charges Nigerian govt to prosecute interim govt plotters for treason

Mohammed said: “Obi and his Vice, Datti Ahmed cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the President-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sworn-in on May 29, it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria.

“This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing. Obi’s statement is that of a desperate person, he is not the democrat that he claimed to be. A democrat should not believe in democracy only when he wins the election.

“The constitution has stringent criteria for anybody who wants to be president of the country. Not only must he have the plurality of vote cast in an election, he must also have scored one-quarter of votes cast in at least 25 states.

“Only the President-elect met the criteria by scoring 8.79 million votes and having one-quarter of all the vote cast in 29 states of the federation.

“You cannot win an election in a poll where you came a distant third position and failed to meet constitutional requirements.
“Peter Obi, while complaining of fraud has not disowned his victory in Lagos.”

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