By Dennis Okechukwu
The Peter Obi Media Office has criticised the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, over his comments about Peter Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, accusing the minister of shifting attention away from the deaths of 37 young Nigerians in the mining sector.
In a statement signed by the POMR Spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, on Monday, the media office described Alake’s criticism of Obi as “absurd”, arguing that the minister should instead be focused on addressing safety and regulatory failures in the solid minerals sector.
The Obi camp accused Alake of engaging in political posturing at a time when the country was mourning the mining-related deaths.
“There is a tragic irony in watching high-ranking public officials prioritise political posturing over executive accountability,” the statement said.
It argued that a disaster involving dozens of citizens in a sector under a minister’s supervision should prompt immediate attention, reflection and measures to prevent a recurrence.
According to the statement, Alake should provide answers to four key questions: “Who authorised the operation? What safeguards were in place? Who failed? And who will be held accountable?”
The Obi Media Office further accused the minister of attempting to divert attention from what it described as failures in the management of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector by focusing on Obi’s record in Anambra State.
“The numbers are not mere statistics—they represent real human lives lost in illegal, unsafe, and poorly regulated mining environments,” it said.
The group maintained that the deaths highlighted the dangers faced by young Nigerians working in informal and unregulated mining operations and called for stronger enforcement of safety and regulatory standards.
It said the minister should prioritise ending unchecked illegal mining and ensuring that vulnerable youths seeking livelihoods in the sector are protected.
“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.
The Obi Media Office also criticised the APC administration, alleging that its performance across various sectors had demonstrated a failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians.