By Lami Ibrahim
Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political organisation, is still pained by the defeat suffered by Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
Mohammed had recently warned Obi against inciting violence.
In a recent interview, Datti Baba-Ahmed, vice-presidential candidate of the LP, said Bola Tinubu did not meet the constitutional requirements to become Nigeria’s president.
Baba-Ahmed asked Olukayode Ariwoola, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), not to swear in Tinubu as president.
In response to the admonition, Ayo Adebanjo, a leader of Afenifere, dismissed Mohammed’s comments, saying “We have had enough of these irresponsible statements coming from this government and that is why the government has lost the confidence of the people”.
In an interview with reporters on Thursday in Washington DC, US, Mohammed said Afenifere has refused to get over the defeat suffered by Obi at the polls.
“It is clear from what they said that Afenifere invested heavily in Peter Obi’s presidency, and they failed woefully, that is the reason why they are lamenting,” the minister said.
“They have refused to get over the loss of what they invested in Obi’s presidential campaign.
“But the earlier they do, the better for them.”
“There were days when Afenifere sneezes and the whole country will catch a cold. It is not the same thing right now. When Afenifere talks and you begin to ask yourself, which Afenifere? You know what that means.
“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 asking people to go out on the streets, they should stop the reckless statement that if the president-elect is sworn in, it will be the end of democracy.”
