You don’t have genuine love for Nigeria, Lai hits back at Obasanjo

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says those who genuinely love Nigeria will support, “rather than subvert, this committed leadership”.

Reacting to the recent criticism of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mohammed said President Muhammadu Buhari has prevented the country from drifting towards a failed state.

Speaking at a virtual meeting earlier in the week, Obasanjo accused the Buhari administration of mismanaging the country’s socio-economic development.

He said old fault lines that were disappearing have opened up under Buhari, adding that hatred, disintegration and separation are “being heard loud and clear almost everywhere”.

But in his response, Mohammed said it is unfortunate that those who planted the seed of insecurity in the country are the same ones “pointing an accusing finger at a reformist government”.

Although the minister did not mention Obasanjo’s name, it was clear that he was referring to the elder statesman.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s assumption of office in 2015 prevented Nigeria from becoming a failed state, after a long stretch of rapacious and rudderless leadership, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,” he said.

“It is therefore a cruel irony that those who frittered away a great opportunity to put Nigeria on a sound socio-economic footing, at a time of financial buoyancy, and those who planted the seed of the insecurity in some parts of the country today, are the same ones pointing an accusing finger at a reformist government.

”Nigeria today faces a lot of challenges. But whatever situation the country has found itself in, things would have been much worse but for the deft management of resources, unprecedented fight against corruption, determined battle against insurgency and banditry as well as the abiding courage of Mr. President in piloting the ship of state.

”Nigeria today is not a failed state, but a nation that is courageously tackling its challenges and building a solid infrastructure that will serve as the basis for socio-economic development, a nation that is unrelenting in battling insecurity and working hard to ensure greatest prosperity for the greatest number of people.

“Those who genuinely love Nigeria will support, rather than subvert, this committed leadership.”

He said no government in the history of the country has done so much with so little, as the Buhari administration is doing presently.

Mohammed said Nigeria is on the road to greatness, despite the challenges confronting the nation.

He cited the “hard push” towards food sufficiency; modernisation of the rail system; nationwide
construction of roads and bridges; the reform in the oil and gas sector; the “unprecedented” anti-corruption battle, the diversification of the economy and the “renewed effort” to ensure a steady power supply as some of the achievements of Nigeria under Buhari.