Minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed has dismissed allegation that some persons in the Presidential Villa are working against the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu.
Mr Mohammed, who spoke to State House correspondents on Wednesday, was responding to statements made earlier in the day by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily.
The governor had alleged that unnamed people were hiding behind President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue their interests.
“I believe there are elements in the villa who want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.
“They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the president’s desire to do what he thinks is right,” El-Rufai said.
Citing the issues of petrol subsidy and the recent redesign of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), El-Rufai said Buhari had the right to make the change to the national currency but it does not make any political or economic sense.
Reacting, Mohammed said if there are elements within the seat of power who are working against the victory of the ruling party, it has not been brought officially to his notice.
He said that Buhari, being the main occupant of the Villa, had stressed many times that his administration will deliver a credible electoral exercise in February and March.
“On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that no matter what, this administration is focused, determined to ensure free and fair elections.
“But I think with this administration the most important person is Mr President, and I think he has shown by words and by deeds that he is committed to free, fair and credible election.
“And fair, free, credible elections actually mean not favouring anybody or disadvantaging anybody.
“And everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear even as recently last Friday when he was in Daura, he said the same thing.
“If there’s anybody working against a candidate we don’t know officially,” Mohammed said.
