Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Thursday, tackled the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for levelling false allegations of “treason” and “stoking insurrection” in Nigeria against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, cautioned the minister not to overheat the polity and to desist forthwith from launching attacks against Obi who is demanding that the presidential petitions tribunal review the outcome of the February 25 polls which was marred with many electoral irregularities.

The group in the statement issued on Thursday further carpeted the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for allegedly tracking and monitoring the phone calls of Obi and leaking them to his political opponents to be armed with daggers and arrows to fight him.

HURIWA said the NCC should be professional and ethical in the discharge of its responsibilities up and stop being a lackey and an attack sniffing dog of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lai Mohammed had during an interview with some international media organisations on the 2023 polls accused Obi of inciting people to violence while seeking redress in court over the outcome of the election.

However, Obi said he never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state and that he is committed to due process and seeking redress in court.

HURIWA’s Onwubiko said: “We condemn the campaigns of calumny against Peter Obi by the Minister Lai Mohammed. The allegation by the minister that Obi committed treason is a nonsensical allegation and a lie from the pits of hell. The information minister must desist from overheating the polity.

“Secondly, the breaching of Obi's private calls by NCC needs broader investigation by the National Assembly Committee on Public Petitions if not that the current session of the National Assembly are lackeys of President Muhammadu Buhari and therefore lack independence and are not credible.

“NCC’s response is irrational, irresponsible and unacceptable because the allegations that NCC was bribed to monitor Peter Obi’s telephone conversations since the last three years is highly damaging and there is no smoke without fire.”

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