By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove its allegation that the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government was using state resources for electioneering campaign.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the challenge in a statement issued in Ilorin on Friday.
He said that the allegation was made by a media aide to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
According to Mohammed, Abubakar’s media aide’s allegation was provoked by the ministry’s widely circulated testimony series showcasing the achievements of President Buhari’s administration.
He dismissed the allegation as “acute paranoia’’, stressing that those who made the comment should prove it.
“It is up to those who made the accusation on the use of state resources for electioneering campaign to prove it, in line with the maxim that he who alleges must prove,’’ the minister said.
He said that the Buhari administration’s massive achievements had rattled the PDP and its candidate, and their actions amounted to an acknowledgement of the administration’s impressive accomplishments.
“In publicising the activities and achievements of the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is only carrying out its statutory role.
“Long before the elections, the ministry has used various platforms, including town hall meetings, to showcase the activities and achievements of the administration.
“We understand that the PDP and the Atiku Campaign Organisation have been rattled by these successes as well as the effectiveness of the campaign to showcase them.
“We are sorry we can’t help them,’’ the minister said.
He expressed surprise that the PDP that had said earlier that the Buhari administration had not achieved anything had now changed its tune.
Mohammed said the PDP had turned around to admit that the media was awash with video testimonies from Nigerians on the Buhari administration’s achievements. (NAN)
