The Federal Government says the social media report on the death of the abducted Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, is fake and a ploy by political opposition to tarnish the administration’s image ahead of the general elections.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the government’s position at a media briefing on Sunday in Ilorin.
He described as ‘absolute fake’ the report that Sharibu had died in captivity.
The minister said the rumour of Sharibu’s death, which surfaced just a few days to the presidential election, was another ploy by the political opposition to exploit primordial sentiments ahead of the polls.
“It is part of the opposition’s strategies to throw everything at the administration and at the President. I think every day they are realising the hopelessness of their position.
“Every day they are amazed by the support Mr President is receiving from every part of the country and they have decided that they are going to spread falsehood.
‘‘They have also decided to inflame passion and make this election a Muslim-Christian affair or North-South affair, but people are not listening to them,” he said.
The minister said that ahead of the Monday’s presidential campaign rally in Ilorin, the All Progressives Congress has put everything in place to ensure that the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari is a huge success.
“The party has been meeting in the last couple of days to ensure that the President’s visit is very successful.
‘‘We have watched the rallies in many parts of the country and we want to assure Mr. President that
our rally in terms of numbers, quality of people, entertainment and colour will rank among the best,” he said.
He said the crowd that will come out to receive the President will be organic as the party does not engage in renting crowds.
Mohammed appealed to security agencies to create a level playing field for all the contestants in the election to allow the people to freely exercise their franchise.
He declared that those involved in legitimate activities have nothing to fear.
The minister described the protest in some circles over the redeployment of Police Commissioners across the country as the handiwork of the opposition.
Specifically, he said the opposition was working to discredit the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the general elections.
