The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says President Muhammadu Buhari is neither critically ill nor in a life threatening situation and that there is no cause for alarm.
The minister reiterated this position on Monday, February 27, in Umuahia at the second town hall meeting for the South East and the launch of national reorientation campaign, “Change Begins With Me’’ in Abia.
The minister, who was asked to update the country about the condition of the president and whether there was need for a regular briefing on his health, stressed that there was no reason for such briefings.
Mohammed disclosed that the president spoke with him on Saturday, February 25, in the afternoon and there was no reason for Nigerians to be worried.
“I can say here very boldly and confidently that there is absolutely no cause for alarm.
“Mr President called me at 2.43 p.m. on Saturday and we spoke.
“If Mr President is in the hospital or is critically ill, as minister of information, I will give a daily bulletin on his health.
“Mr President is neither critically ill nor in the hospital and there is nothing life threatening about the checks he is going through,’’ he said.
Speaking on the state of the economy, the minister said that corruption was responsible for the price increase in commodities.
He noted that no economy in the world could survive the blind and reckless looting perpetrated by the previous administration.
“If one person was found with almost 10 million dollars in an uncompleted house and another with 136 million dollars in a fake account and other with N7 billion, how can the economy survive that kind of looting?
“Naturally the price of commodities will go up.
“These are funds meant for development of infrastructure and for provision of services.
“That is why you cannot do anything with the economy without first facing corruption squarely.
“But the good news is that the government is doing both together, as we are fighting corruption we are also making sure that we are ensuring we are out of recession by investing heavily in infrastructure.
Mohammed pacified the audience who lamented the spate of attacks on farmers by the herdsmen.
He said that contrary to the position of some elements who want to destroy the unity of the country, the government was not supporting any section of the country against the other.
He said the attacks was purely a security issue that was being handled by both federal and state authorities.
“I want to make the appeal that the strength of Nigeria is in its diversity and unity.
“We have been living together peacefully before and we shall continue to live together peacefully,’’ he said.
(Source: NAN)