The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has criticized the two primary opposition parties in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), accusing them of making fraudulent claims that the 2023 presidential election was marred by rigging. Mohammed urged the opposition to cease their constant complaints over the election, which they lost decisively.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari’s analysis of the reasons behind the opposition’s loss in the 2023 elections was indisputable. He argued that the opposition’s defeat resulted from overconfidence and complacency.
Mohammed praised President Buhari for delivering what he described as the best election in Nigeria’s history, offering a level playing field for all parties. He claimed that the opposition’s overconfidence was partly due to social media propaganda and flawed opinion polls meant to deceive foreign backers and sections of the international media.
According to the minister, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the election fairly, securing the majority of votes cast and meeting the constitutional requirement of at least 25% of votes in two-thirds of all states in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. He emphasized that none of the opposition parties met the conditions for winning the presidential election.
Mohammed also dismissed the opposition’s reliance on international observers to justify their claims of election rigging, pointing out statements from respected organizations and diplomats that acknowledged the APC candidate’s victory. He noted that the African Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria reported a calm and peaceful atmosphere in 95% of the polling units visited.
The minister further criticized the opposition for attempting to mislead the public by suggesting that the credibility of the election was affected by the delayed uploading of results onto the IReV Portal. He described the insinuation as a fraudulent act of blackmail and deceit by desperate individuals, particularly singling out the Labour Party for claiming victory despite finishing in a distant third place.
