Why I accused Peter Obi of treason in United States — Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has defended his position of accusing the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, 2023 election in Nigeria, Peter Obi, of treason in the United States of America.

Mohammed was recently in the United States of America and United Kingdom, speaking on the general election.

There, the Minister me with top media organisations to offer explanations and insights into the elections and their outcomes.

At one of the sessions with the media, he accused Obi of treason.

Mohammed, who spoke with State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, said the pronouncement of Obi’s running mate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, warranted his position.

He told newsmen after the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN): “I said Obi has every right to seek redress in court like Labour Party, but nobody has the right to call for insurrection or to threaten to say that if the President-elect is sworn-in, that would be the end of democracy.

“And that was precisely what Obi’s running mate said on live television and I have not heard Obi rein him in or correct him.

“So, if your running mate says something, of course, he was saying on behalf of the party and on behalf of the candidate.

“That is why I said that was treason.

“For anybody to say that if a duly elected president in Nigeria is sworn in, that will be the end of democracy is treason.

“For anybody to say if you swear in a duly elected president, you are swearing the military, it is treason.

“So, I don’t see anything controversial in that.”