Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko lampooned the former Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and current Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed over comments credited to him after Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose said he would boycott all meeting by President Muhammadu Buhari regarding the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Speaking on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Governor Mimiko said as a former minister himself, he feels it is imperative for him to reorient Mohammed on what his new job entails, as it is quite different from being the spokesperson of a political party.
Mimiko further stated that the Mohammed should understand that members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were only playing their part by being critical of the policies of the president.
He said: “As a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I want to believe there is an urgent need for me to assist in reorientation and exercise of Presidential familiarization for our Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to know that he now works with the Presidency and should adapt to presidential breeze and ethics and learn how to address issues of public interest without unleashing terror and verbal war on personalities in oppositions like when he does as the Spokesperson to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
“As the Lord will have it, PDP is today the strongest opposition party in the country. We are playing the role as expected of any doggedly focused and serious opposition.
“Lai Mohammed shouldn’t be expecting praises and worship songs from us because we are not brain-washable like those who voted “paper change”, a mirage!
“Therefore, it was erroneous and insulting for the Minister of Information to be attacking our people who criticised the formulated TSA policy by the presidency. It is absolutely unacceptable by me as person and PDP as a party.
“Nigeria belongs to everybody and it does to nobody; no single person or party owns our common wealth. No one!”
The Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum further advised Mohammed to be cautious, words-selective, reasonable and fact-oriented before speaking on behalf of the presidency as future attacks on any member of the PDP would amount to witch-hunting and an attempt to silence the opposition in the country.
