OPINION: How Saraki is About to Make Lai Mohammed a Minister. By Ade-Adedeji Adeyera

Date: 2015-11-10

The year was 2013. The principal actors were certain displeased governors. The act was a breakaway. The party was the "New PDP." This was the picture of the political landscape at the time, as occasioned by a certain Goodluck Jonathan who would not look a certain Bukola Saraki in the face over what eventually turned out to be the end of a political party that prided itself as Africa's largest.

Bukola Saraki, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso led the other embittered governors out of the PDP, to create a gulf that proved too difficult to fill. This act was eventually the final lethal nail the coffin that put the political end to the dominance of the 'Old PDP.'

Before long, Saraki pitched tent with a crop of strong-willed political juggernauts across a multi-level platform to birth a party that would eventually end up as the ruling party in Nigeria.

Fast forward to 2015, the benefits for the APC were a bolstered national political party. The benefits for the 'decampees' were success at the polls. This success was replicated in Saraki's home state, Kwara, and across the entire North central geopolitical region that he comes from.

Perhaps, it is worthy of note that Saraki's political influence in his region is unprecedented. Since the demise of his father, Dr. Olusola Saraki, the junior Saraki has controlled the mechanism of the state quite well. Little wonder the success recorded when he signaled the arrival of the APC in the state where the PDP had held sway up until then.

Of course, the election results spoke resoundingly.

The Presidential Election

Bukola Saraki, some months back, had ensured that Muhammadu Buhari emerged the party's flag bearer to the chagrin of Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice-President who led the charge and walkout from the PDP. Then onto the Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso issue - which has yet to be completely solved - judging by Kwankwaso's disposition to Saraki in the Senate. He unarguably still nurtures the belief that had Saraki supported him, Buhari would not have emerged.

The summary was that Saraki handed Buhari the APC jackpot, which ultimately finished off the PDP. This jackpot to Buhari gave rise to what now is the APC central government.

The Lai Mohammed Issue

Before the APC took office, Alhaji Lai Mohammed could only be likened to mere clinging brass cymbals. His criticisms of almost everything around him made him more of a nuisance, than an opposition spokesperson. He was so 'not-good' at his propaganda trades that Nigerians called him "Lie Mohammed." Yes, he was that terrible. However, in all of his exhibitionisms, he was immensely skilled at hiding beneath and behind the shadows of the real fighters. They fought on the war front, while Lai Mohammed enjoyed the spoils of battle.

As the clock ticked slowly, announcing the end of September, Nigerians anxiously awaited the Ministerial List of President Muhammadu Buhari. Somehow, Lai Mohammed's name popped up on #TheList. With that, Lai Mohammed achieved his second lifelond ambition (the first being, becoming a Governor of Kwara State), he was nominated a Minister of the Federal Republic against the chagrin of many Kwarans.

Days later, rumours had it that Lai Mohammed was going to be Nigeria's new Information Minister, which finally laid to rest the ruckus about his nomination and confirmation. Talking about the ruckus, during his screening exercise at the Senate's hallowed Chambers, Alhaji Lai confirmed that he "may have ruffled a few feathers" during the course of performing his job as the spokesperson of the APC.

It would be recalled that Lai Mohammed had gone to town to castigate and wash Saraki down for daring to emerge Senate President against the wish of a particular party leader that he (Lai) is loyal to. Although, Lai Mohammed is from Kwara state as Bukola Saraki is, his allegiance was more to the said leader who had chiefly opposed Saraki's quest to become Senate President.

On the whole, one cannot but commend Saraki's magnanimity in seeing that Lai Mohammed scaled the Senate screening hurdle. No one could have imagined it - given the disposition of Lai Mohammed to the emergence of Saraki as President of the Senate.

Come Wednesday November 11, Lai Mohammed and other confirmed nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari will be handed portfolios of office to begin to function as Ministers of The Federal Republic.

For Alhaji Lai Mohammed, when he is officially handed a portfolio of office, it won't be down to his efforts or hard works to party success, it will be because a certain Bukola Saraki - whom he had disdained with his principal in Lagos - charted a course, was brave enough to stand up for it and stretched out his large canopy of magnanimity to accommodate him.

Ade-Adedeji Adeyera, Abuja.

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Tinubu Legacy Forum     Ahman Pategi University     Kale Belgore     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Lanre Olosunde     Ilorin Emirate Staff Association     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Convocation Ceremonies     ASMAU PLAZA     Jelili Yusuf     Mohammed Lawal Bagega     Temitope Ogunbanke     Ishaq Oloyede     Odogun Olushola Gabriel     COVID-19 Palliatives     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     ITP     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Noah Yusuf     MAI Akande     Mohammed Kamaludeen     RTEAN     Zulu Gambari     April 11     Maigida     Sanusi Abubakar     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Jumoke Gafar     Samuel Adedoyin     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Dan Masanin     Balogun-Ojomu     Abubakar Suleiman     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Orire     3MTT     Bolaji Aladie     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Alabi Lawal     Elesie Of Esie     Pacify Labs     Sunday Otokiti     Zainab Abass     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Salihu Yahaya     Hussein Olokooba     Onikijipa     Ajike People Support Centre     Osinbajo     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin     Issa Oloruntogun     Mustapha Akanbi     Tosho Yaqub     Bola Sagaya     Biliaminu Aliu     Kwara     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     Irepodun     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Jebba     Kwara NIPR     Ajeigbe     Oladimeji Thompson     Patience Jonathan     GAMA     Shuaibu Yaman     Ishola Balogun Fulani     Kannike     Awwal Jawondo     Umar Ayinla Saro     Tanke Road     KWASIEC     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Omoniyi Ayinla    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Buari Edun     NYSC     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Tosho Yaqub     School Of Nursing     Kisra     Modibbo Kawu     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Yusuf A. Usman     FERMA     Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi     Offa Grammer School     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Kwara University Of Education     Doyin Group     Ahmed Bayero     Niyi Ogundiran     Ubandoma Of Ilorin     Kwara Volleyball Association     Yahaya Muhammad     Kwara TV     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence     Okala Baba     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     All Peoples Party     Fatimoh Lawal     Oba Abu     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Arca Santa     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Aminu Ado Bayero     Ayinke Saka     Makama     Pategi     Sanusi Abubakar     Abegunde Goke     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Abubakar Imam     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Bello Oyebanji     Idris Garba     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     ARMTI     Babaita     Abiodun Oyedepo     Olatunji Moronfoye     National Party Of Nigeria     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     Buhari     Tunde Saad     Musbau A. Akanji     Noah Yusuf     Ahman Patigi     Muritala Olarewaju     Gbemi Saraki     Mutawali     Abdulrazaq Magaji     Habeeb Saidu     Igbomina     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     AGILE Programme     Na\'Allah     Mohammed Danjuma     Senate President     Kwara State Council Of Chiefs     Hamza Usman     Kwabes     Nigeria Customs Service     HYPPADEC     College Of Education     Veterinary Teaching Hospital     Ishola Balogun Fulani