•Report by Kamil Opeyemi
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has dismissed allegation that some persons within the Presidential Villa Abuja are working against the success of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming general elections.
Mohammed said this while responding to questions from State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
According to the Minister,President Muhammadu Buhari would not deviate from his commitment to ensure the conduct of free,fair and credible general elections.
Earlier,Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had alleged that some elements in the Presidential Villa are working against the success of the party.
el-Rufai made the allegation on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday, citing petroleum subsidy issue and the Naira redesign policy targeted at the Tinubu.
He said: “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.
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“They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right.
“I will give two examples: this petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of Naira, was something what we all agreed would be removed.”
The Presidential Candidate of the party,
Bola Tinubu had made a similar allegation, accusing the opposition party, PDP, and other elements of hoarding fuel and new Naira notes for political gains.
However,according to Lai Mohammed, if there are elements within the seat of power who are working against the victory of the ruling party, it has not been brought officially to his notice.
He said that Buhari, being the main occupant of the Villa, had stressed times without number that his administration would deliver a credible electoral exercise in February and March.
“On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that no matter what, this administration is focused, determined to ensure free and fair elections,”he said
“But I think with this administration the most important person is Mr President, and I think he has shown by words and by deeds that he is committed to free, fair and credible election.
“And fair, free, credible elections actually means not favouring anybody or disadvantaging anybody.
“And everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear even as recently last Friday when he was in Daura, he said the same thing.
“If there’s anybody working against a candidate we don’t know officially.”