THE Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has warned presidential aspirants from downplaying the accomplishments of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), during their campaigns ahead of the 2023 polls.
He especially accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, of doing so.
Mohammed spoke at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja to discuss the administration’s scorecard in the area of the water sector.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to comment on the increasing tendency by some opposition presidential candidates to downplay the achievements of this administration, in their desperation for power, ahead of the 2023 elections.
“The worst offender in this regard has been the presidential candidate of the PDP, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“During his recent campaign in Akure, the former VP was quoted as saying the All Progressives Congress had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years.
“What a preposterous statement from somebody who should know. I guess we can excuse His Excellency the former Vice President, who, until recently, had fully relocated to Dubai, thus losing touch with Nigeria.”
The minister said Atiku should not be the one criticising the present regime, claiming that there was no motorable road to his hometown until Buhari became the President.
He added, “If anyone would accuse the APC-led Federal Government of doing nothing, it should not be Atiku Abubakar.
“Why? There was no motorable road to Atiku Abubakar’s hometown or to key local governments in Adamawa’s southern senatorial zone, which served as the state’s food basket and economic nerve centre during the PDP’s 16-year rule until President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration took office.
“Today, the Mayo Belwa-Jada-Ganye-Toungo Road has been fully constructed, and it is the road that Alhaji Atiku uses to get to his hometown of Jada.”
The minister also stated that before the Buhari regime, five local government areas in the former vice president’s state were under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.
He added, “What about security? Before this administration came into office, all five local government areas in Adamawa’s northern senatorial district were effectively under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists.
“All state institutions, the local government administration, the police, the judiciary, schools, hospitals, and markets—had been sacked.
“Traditional rulers, including emirs and chiefs, had been displaced, with their palaces taken over by the terrorists as their headquarters.
“The affected five local governments in the northern senatorial zone are: Madagali; Michika; Mubi North; Mubi.
