Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senate
President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has advised Alhaji Lai Mohammed
to stop using the tragic loss of lives in the Offa robbery as a
political tool.
This is even as he dared him to prove his claim that
subsequent broadcasts of the Senate President’s syndicated Christmas
morning interview were manipulated.
The minister had called out Saraki for lying that he donated N10 million to the victims of Offa Robbery.
In
a statement signed by him today and made available to newsmen,
Olaniyonu called on Mohammed to respect the memories of the victims of
the Offa robbery.
“After reading the laughable and entirely empty
statement issued by the Minister today, we challenge him, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, to bring out the two recordings of the live transmission and
the repeat broadcast to show the public where it is doctored.
“Just
to be clear, the repeat of the interview was based on popular demand by
Kwarans during some of the consultative meetings the Senate President
had in the three Senatorial districts of Kwara State.
“Mr. Mohammed
should be well-aware that this interview was aired live, hence, his
insinuation that certain sections were subsequently doctored puts the
reputation of the 5 radio stations that aired the interview and the 4
that aired the repeat in jeopardy. This also includes Harmony FM, an
FRCN station that is under the Minister of Information’s supervision,”
Olaniyonu said.
The Special Adviser also questioned the logic behind
Mohammed’s assertion that the N10 million donated by Saraki was to aid
the people who lost their goods during the inferno in Offa Market and
that it was used in Ilorin.
“How possible can it be for something
that was donated in Offa to be used in Ilorin? Additionally, Lai
Mohammed should do the public a favour by telling the public what he has
done or donated to alleviate the plight of the people of Offa at any
time.
“If he is attacking Saraki for donating millions to the victims
of a burnt market in Offa and not those who sustained injury during the
robbery incident, what has he done at any time to help the people of
that town since he became one of the ‘guest politicians’ in the state?”
he queried.
Olaniyonu further challenged Lai Mohammed to stop his
grandstanding about his political clout in Kwara, stating that the
Minister’s popularity is entirely non-existent.
“Lai Mohammed keeps
on grandstanding with false and baseless assertions of his entirely
non-existent popularity. If he is as popular in Kwara as he claims, how
did he perform in the 2003 polls as gubernatorial candidate?
“If he
is indeed known and accepted in Kwara, why is it that his son is running
for a House of Assembly seat in Lagos — and not in Kwara?”
Olaniyonu
called on the Minister of Information to immediately desist from using
the tragic loss of lives in the Offa Robbery as a political propaganda
tool.
“If Lai Mohammed has any contrary evidence, we challenge him to
go to court or end this blatant disrespect and disregard for the
memories of the victims lost in the Offa Robbery incident,” Olaniyonu
stated.
Source:- Thengtimes
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