Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Ahead of 2023 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Kwara State and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has reiterated that his political structure across the 16 local government councils of the state remains intact and cannot be dismantled.
Alhaji Mohammed was a former governorship candidate of Alliance for Demoracy (AD) in 2003 and later governorship candidate under the banner of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007 and since then he has never lost contact with his political associates and supporters.
Also, he has remained a positive reference point in the struggle for 2019 general election and was behind the success story of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state during the period.
However, speaking in his hometown Oro in Irepodun Local Government Council Area of the state on Thursday at the traditional marriage of his grand daughter, Dr Toyosi to an Engineer, Gbolahan Sambo, Alhaji Mohammed said he had remained a major factor in the political calculations of the state all the time.
The marriage was held at the ancestral home of Alhaji Mohammed in Oro and was well attended by his political allies and supporters who thronged the venue in their hundreds to be part of the historical event.
Mohammed, who was answering reporters’ questions on the sideline of the large turnout of people at the event, said he had never lost touch with them.
He said, “I am glad you noticed that I have here today the same people I have been working with in the last 20 years politically in Kwara.
“Though they tried to pluck me away from them, we interact regularly and we have almost become a family.
“I am not surprised even though I am delighted that they turned out in their numbers today to share with me the joy of this occasion.
“What this means fundamentally is that there is no difference politically between me and them and they still regard me as one of their leaders and I still regard them as my associates.”
The minister opined further that notwithstanding the disagreement in the ruling APC in the state, his supporters and allies were still loyal to him and that his structure politically remained intact.
He noted that, “My political structure cannot be torpedoed because of disagreement.
“That is the essence of political structure: when you are strong enough to weather the storm that will necessarily come up, especially when it is time to vie for political offices.”
Speaking on the marriage ceremony, the minister said the Yoruba culture revered the traditional rites as the most important marriages.
“It is the ceremony where the family members of the bride and the groom respectively come together to do the needful in joining them together.
“As you can see, the bride was handed over to the parents of the groom which signifies that marriage is not just between two individuals but between families, communities and at times two kingdoms.
“This is important because every member of the families, the communities or kingdoms must ensure the marriage does not hit the rock,” he said.
To the bride and groom, the minister admonished them that marriage is not always a bed of roses, that there will be challenges and it is only when they persevere that they can both enjoy the union.
