Lai says rift between Oshiomhole and Ngige will be resolved

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says the rift between Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), and Chris Ngige, minister of labour, will be resolved.

Mohammed said this while briefing reporters at the end of the weekly federal executive council (FEC).

Mohammed said he would not make further comments on the rift because he needed to confirm the authenticity of statements credited to both parties.

“What happened between the minister and party chairman will be resolved,” the minister said.

“Two weeks ago, we inaugurated a campaign against fake news and that is one of the most dangerous phenomena we have today.

“We don’t know who said what and until we know and the ministers confirmed these statements credited to them, it is a difficult time to comment. I can assure you that if there is any problem between the party chairman and any of our ministers, it will be resolved.”

Oshiomhole had asked the minister and Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, to inaugurate boards under their ministries or face disciplinary action.

In response, Ngige said he would not inaugurate the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) because of fraud.

He also accused the APC chairman of talking out of ignorance.

Mohammed added that the matter of the lawmakers who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to other political parties was not discussed at FEC meeting

“No it was not discussed at FEC and secondly Mr President has already given our position which is that this is a democracy, people are free to make choices,” he said.

On his part, Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, denied saying that Oshiomhole was “bad luck” to the party.

“I saw on social media this afternoon where they said I said the chairman is a bad luck. I never said so. I have never said such a thing. They quoted me that I was attacking the chairman,” Amaechi said.