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General News of Saturday, 27 May 2023

Source: www.vanguardngr.com

I am the most sued minister – Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says he is the most sued minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Minister stated this in Abuja at a send-forth dinner organised in his honour by his ministry and its parastatals as the Buhari administration comes to an end in days.

Speaking at the event, the minister said, excluding the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, who is represented or joined in cases against the Federal Government, he is the most sued minister.

He said not less than 37 cases were filed against him and his office in the course of discharging his duties speaking for the government, defending its policies and programmes as well as being the cultural ambassador of the nation.

According to the minister, no month would pass that President Buhari would not receive a message that Lai Mohammed should be fired for one alleged infractions or the other.

He said he was able to keep his job because the President trusted and believed in him and knew that his actions were in the interest of the administration and country.

Mohammed identified the EndSARS crisis and the suspension of Twitter operations in the country as the two most challenging incidents and actions that his office faced and had to manage and defend.

According to him, it was a daunting task, during the EndSARS, for his office to convince Nigerians and the global community that no life was lost at the Lekki Toll gate which some sections of the media erroneously tagged ‘massacre”.

He reiterated that till date, nobody has come out to claim that his or her child, ward or relative was killed at the the Lekki Toll Gate.

The minister said the suspension of Twitter operations attracted criticism and condemnations locally and internationally because the reason for the action by government was misunderstood.

He said the action had paid off for the country because Twitter has registered its operations in the country and ready to work with terms and conditions agreed by both parties.

Looking back to Nov. 11, 2015, when he assumed office as Minister, Mohammed said it was an epic journey and so far, it was the longest period anyone had served as Minister of Information and Culture.

“I make bold to say that thanks to you all, we lived up to our mandate, which is the management of the image, reputation and promotion of the culture of the people and government of Nigeria.

“We did these through a dynamic public information system that facilitated access by citizens and the global community to credible and timely information.

“Among many achievements, we blazed the trail in the retrieval of our timeless artefacts from those who looted them, and our model is being followed by many countries around the world,” he said.