By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The Peter Obi Media Office has criticised the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, over his recent comments on former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, accusing the minister of diverting attention from challenges in the country’s mining sector.
The media office, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, on Monday, said Alake should be more concerned about accountability and safety in the solid minerals sector following the deaths of 37 Nigerian youths allegedly involved in illegal mining activities.
Alake, who the statement said was speaking as a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign, had criticised Obi over his record as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former governor had no basis to avoid scrutiny over his administration of the state.
Reacting, however, the Obi media office described Alake’s intervention as an attempt to divert attention from what it called failures in the solid minerals sector.
The group said the deaths of the 37 miners should prompt questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident, including who authorised the mining operation, what safety measures were in place, whether regulatory procedures were followed and who should be held accountable.
“For us in Peter Obi Media, there is a tragic irony in watching high-ranking public officials prioritise political posturing over executive accountability,” the statement said.
It argued that a major incident resulting in the deaths of dozens of citizens in a sector supervised by a federal ministry should require immediate attention to safety, regulation and systemic reforms.
According to the media office, the incident highlighted the dangers posed by illegal and poorly regulated mining activities, particularly to young Nigerians who depend on the sector for their livelihoods.
“The numbers are not mere statistics—they represent real human lives lost in illegal, unsafe, and poorly regulated mining environments,” it said.
The group accused Alake of devoting attention to political exchanges involving Obi and past state-level governance while, according to it, the solid minerals sector continued to face regulatory challenges.
It said the minister should prioritise efforts to end unchecked illegal mining and curb informal and unregulated mineral extraction that exposes vulnerable Nigerians to dangerous working conditions.
The media office further argued that Nigerians deserved a solid minerals industry built around safety, effective regulation and sustainable development.
“Nigerian youths deserve a solid minerals sector built on safety, regulation, and sustainable development—not an executive office that chases political shadows while tragedy unfolds on its watch,” the statement said.
It also criticised the APC administration, alleging that it had failed Nigerians across various sectors.
The statement’s criticism came amid growing political exchanges ahead of the 2027 general elections, with politicians and political parties increasingly scrutinising the records of opponents at both federal and state levels.
The Obi media office maintained that such political debates should not distract public officials from addressing problems within sectors under their supervision.
