Nigeria: FG Replies El-Rufai, Says Buhari Committed to Free, Fair, Credible Polls

Nigeria’s Federal Government has denounced insinuations by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that some fifth columnists in the State House, Abuja are working to frustrate the victory of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu in the February 25, 2023 presidential elections.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, while reacting to the allegation on Wednesday after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja 

said  government officially is unaware of anyone within the presidential villa that is working against any candidate in next month’s presidential poll.

According to him, the federal government has been fair to all candidates regardless of party affiliation adding that President Buhari has consistently demonstrated that he is for free, fair and credible elections.

His words: “On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that no matter who, this administration is focused and determined to ensure a free and fair election and I think in this administration, the most important person is Mr. President and I think he has shown by words and by deeds that he’s committed to a free, fair

and credible election.

“Fair, free and credible election actually means not favouring anybody or disadvantaging anybody and everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear, even as recently as Friday, when he was in Daura, he said the same thing. 

“So, if there’s anybody who’s working against any candidate, we don’t know officially”, he explained.

El-Rufai had on Wednesday while featuring on a national television programme blamed some of the government policies including the naira redesign and persistent fuel scarcity in the country on 5th Columnists saying that naira redesign and persistent fuel scarcity may cause unrest in the country.

According to him, the policy of currency redesign at this moment is the idea of few people in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, adding that it was never the policy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said: “The policy of currency redesign is the idea of few people in the Presidential Villa. APC never promised Naira redesign. This is not the right time to embark on such exercise because most part of the areas in Nigeria have no banking facilities”.

The former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alleged that the naira redesign and fuel scarcity across Nigeria is the handiwork of the 5th Columnist, to bring down the government of APC.

“I must say that the naira redesign and fuel scarcity is the handiwork of 5th Columnist because they want to bring the country down, otherwise why must redesigning of naira be the priority of the federal government at this time”, the governor had posited.

Deji Elumoye

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