2019: I Am Not Running For Any Office - Lai Mohammed

Date: 2018-08-10

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says his mission as new All Progressives Congress leader in Kwara is not to contest any elective position in 2019 but to rescue the state from hawks.

The minister, who disclosed this on Thursday in Ilorin at a meeting of Congress of Kwara Progressives, underscored the need to take the state from those who had milked it dry.

He said the recent defection from APC by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and his followers had presented auspicious opportunity for the people to liberate the state from those who had held it to ransom.

Mohammed said: "What an auspicious time for all of us! Never before, have we had a great opportunity like we have now to take our state back from the rapacious few, who have held the state by the jugular and prevented it from meeting the hopes and aspirations of its people.

"From my consultations with key stakeholders so far, I can say, categorically, that Kwarans have all resolved to take their destiny into their own hands and take back what rightly belongs to them. "This is unprecedented in the history of our state, and we must not waste this opportunity. "On my own part, I can say here, without equivocating, that I won't be running for any office during the forthcoming elections. "For me, it is not about any clamour for office. It is about working with all like minds for the greater benefit of our people."

The minister underscored the need for the people to be united and shelve their personal ambition to rescue the state.

He said: "I can tell you that if we all remain united, we can't and we won't lose the looming battle for the survival of our dear state. "All that is required is for us all to subordinate our individual ambitions to the collective efforts to wrest our state from the hegemony of one man and his cohorts."

The minister called the attention of the people to the fact that the battle ahead would be tough because "one with power will ever give it up easily".

Mohammed, however, encouraged them that "the power of the people supersedes all powers" and the mission to rescue Kwara from grinding poverty and make it a better place for all, is achievable.

He said: "The fightback has already begun, in the form of blackmail and fake news.

"They say I do not like Ilorin people. But what they do not know is that no amount of cheap blackmail will deter us.

"The people of Ilorin should know who their friends are. I do not hate the good people of Ilorin." To justify his claim, the minister recalled that in 2011, he supported, on his platform, an indigene of Ilorin to run for the governorship of the state.

Mohammed said: "Even when my kinsmen were not happy with my decision, I was undeterred. "Even when the PDP sponsored someone from my own constituency, I insisted on the Ilorin candidate as a matter of principle, upon the conviction that that was what we needed to do at the time to effect the necessary change."

Mohammed also recalled that as a minister, he was instrumental to the appointment of an Ilorin man, Modibbo Kawu as the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission.

He said: "In a related development, when Prof. Raheem Oba, an Ilorin man, sought a second term at the Federal Character Commission, we know those who worked against him.

"They will do this and many more acts of blackmail to divide us, to driver a wedge between us. Don't let us succumb to their antics."

The minister reassured the people that in the new dispensation, every person in Kwara would have a voice and the resources of the state would be used for the development of the state and its people.

He said: "Never again will our people be turned to panhandlers, never again will our people be made to eat crumbs from the master's table.

"We must become the masters of our own destiny." Earlier, Alhaji Ayodele Shittu, the convener of the meeting and a former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly said the people of Kwara were tired of the Saraki's political leadership and yearning for change.

He reiterated the commitment of the stakeholders to support the new leadership of Mohammed and rescue the state from bondage.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports the meeting was attended by: Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, the state's APC Caretaker Chairman; Bashir Bolarinwa, Labour Party Chairman; Mumuni Onagu, former Nigerian Bar Association Chairman in the state; Salman Jawando, among others.

Source

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Aisha Gobir     Aliyu Sabi     NIRSAL     Boko Haram     Taofik Abdulkareem     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     Rafiu Olasile     All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     KWTV     Kayode Ogunlowo     New Model Police Station     Irepodun     Mustapha Akanbi     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Post Utme     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Oke-Oyi     Allocation     Senate Presidency     Abdulrazaq Solihudeen     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Kayode Bankole     Mohammed Abduraheem     Salihu Yahaya     Adanla-Irese     08001000100     Galadiman Ngeri     Unilorin     Kanu Agabi     Sulaiman Gado     Adesina Simon Sodiya     Amos Sayo     ITP     Bamikole Omishore     Sa\'adu Salahu     Yahaya Oloriegbe     Magaji Nda     IEDPU     Federal Polytechnic Offa     Ndama Al-hassan     Olabode Towoju     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Isapa     National Pilot     Raimi Iyanda     Yoonus Lawal     Ahman Patigi     Olaosebikan     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Raji AbdulRasaq     Baboko     Buhari     Afeyin-Olukuta     Ahmad Lawan     SSA Youth Engagement     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Osuwa     NYSC     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Magaji Are     Amuda Musbau     Islamiya Abdulraheem     Oluranti Idowu     Shaaba Lafiagi     Aiyedun     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Orire     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Facemasks     Funmilayo Mohammed     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Tunji Olawuyi     Kwarareports     SWAN    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Bola Sagaya     Post-utme     Olayinka Oladapo Jogunola     Ramat Oganija     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Awoye     Presidential Election     IF-K     Mary Arinde     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Opobiyi     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Jumoke F. Ajao     Olohungbebe     Yaru     Gbadeyan Gbadura Yomi     Demola Banu     Rihanat Ajia     Isiaka Yusuf     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Sarkin Malamai     Talaka Parapo     Ilorin Airport     Isiaka Saka Opobiyi     Communication Network Support Services     Salake     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Gambari     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Hakeem Idris     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Akeem Olatunji     Yusuf Zulu-Gambari     Iliasu     Bayer AG     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Olusola Saraki     Kumbi Titiloye     Plat Technologies     Temitope Ogunbanke     Simeon Ajibola     Halimat Yusuf     HICA     Bolaji Aladie     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Sam Onile     Www.Kwarareports.com     Fulani     Jide Oyinloye     Tunde Kazeem     T And K FOODS     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Isapa     Aliyu Muhammed     Durosinlohun Kawu     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Sulyman Atolagbe Alege     Rachael Obisesan     Omu Aran     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Haleeman Salman     Senate     Ishaq Salman     Abubakar Abdulraheem     Yekeen Alabi     Adamu Attah     Femi Oladiji     Goodluck Jonathan     Yusuf Aiyedun     Isau     Sobi Hill     Ibrahim Bio     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman