The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the purported leaked audio of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, criticising President Muhammadu Buhari, will not break the ranks of the ruling, APC.

The Minister who stated this at a media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja said the leaked audio was part of the “mudslinging” politics of the opposition”.

“Again, the opposition is determined to ensure that the ongoing campaign for the 2019 elections is not based on issues but on mudslinging. What is the point in shopping around for audio clips or publications that are then maliciously edited out of context”?

“Why do they think this will break our ranks in the ruling party? What advantage do they think they can get from this infantile act”?

“Whoever wants to circulate any audio or video clip should do so in its entirety so that the people can understand the context. Otherwise, let them continue wasting their time circulating an audio that is clearly designed to blackmail,” he said.

The minister also said that the growing accusations that 9-Mobile and Keystone Bank were bought by President Muhammadu Buhari’s family members were part of the PDP’s Dubai agenda.

He said the agenda reached in Dubai by the opposition was to “throw enough mud at the President and hope they can succeed in tainting his integrity”.

“The sooner the PDP realises this and retrace its steps, the better. President Buhari is globally acknowledged for his legendary integrity, and no one can tarnish it. When its allegations were proved to be wrong, those behind the shameless allegation did not even have the decency to admit their lies and apologise to the nation.”

“This is bad politicking and it will not win more votes for the sinking PDP. It is sad that instead of focusing on issues, all they spew are innuendos, lies and concocted stories,’’ he said.

He said that PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s campaign has lost steam, and all it is doing is to make wild allegations not backed by facts.

The minister also said that President Buhari should be commended for his decision to concentrate on his job rather than focusing on re-electioneering campaign.

“The President, in his wisdom, said he would not want his work to be affected by electioneering campaign, and decided to hand over the responsibility of steering the campaign to Asiwaju.”

“That is within the President’s prerogative, and a mark of the confidence he reposed in Asiwaju. How is this now a problem to the PDP? The President deserves accolades for putting the nation first, even with the elections approaching,” he said.

The minister said that the mischievous insinuation from the opposition that the President handed over the campaign to Tinubu because he could withstand the rigours of electioneering campaign is absurd.

“The President’s punishing daily schedule over the past months is more rigorous than any electioneering campaign. Of course, it has never happened in the recent history of Nigeria that a President facing re-election will rather concentrate on his job rather than his campaign.”

“PDP, for one, cannot fathom this because of their brand of do-or-die politics. Again, the President deserves commendation, not condemnation, for that decision,” he said. (NAN)