• Idris hails Lai Mohammed for meritorious service
• Oyo governor says no plan to dump PDP
Ahead of the 2027 general election, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Chief Oladapo Afolabi, have jointly canvassed an all-inclusive government that will jettison the “winner-takes-all” political culture.
They said the existing political system poses a serious threat to national cohesion, democratic stability and sustainable development.
The duo spoke yesterday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book written by former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, titled: “Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration.”
Setting the tone, Afolabi, who was the keynote speaker, noted that the country’s recurring challenges can be attributed to both non-compliance with the rule of law and weak institutions.
The former Head of Service also identified a faulty electoral process that leaves large segments of the population feeling excluded.
He stressed that such a situation erodes public confidence in democracy.
Afolabi called for urgent constitutional reforms, stronger institutions and transparent elections in which votes genuinely count in order to avoid anarchy.
He said: “Anarchy is not an option,” stressing that there is a need for national consensus among political elites on the direction of the country.
Going down memory lane, the former Head of Service said the country mismanaged the strength of her diversity, adding that the country’s poor global perception stemmed largely from failure to manage its vast human and natural resources effectively.
For the country to move forward, Afolabi urged leaders to focus on building institutions that promote accountability, fairness, and inclusive development.
Makinde frowned at the level of ethnic, religious, and party partisanship.
The governor noted that these have been used by the elites to fuel divisions among the people who have largely agreed to live together.
He said the development has deepened mistrust in the political system.
Makinde also faulted democratic practice that promotes “winner-takes-all, saying the exclusion of opponents only breeds resentment and instability.
“We must redesign our democracy so that even those who lose elections are not completely shut out,” he said.
The governor stated that inclusive governance would reduce political tension and strengthen national trust.
Former Osun State governor and APC founding National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, said Nigeria’s political evolution must move beyond exclusionary politics if democracy is to deepen.
Praising Mohammed as a seasoned public servant, Akande said long years of the former Minister of Information in government gave him a unique insight into how leadership decisions and media narratives shape national outcomes.
Also, Makinde has said he would not dump the PDP, despite the party’s lingering crisis.
The governor dismissed speculation of his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Makinde said this yesterday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book, titled: “Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration,” written by Lai Mohammed.
He said: “I am not APC, and I am not about to become APC.”
Makinde said Nigeria’s progress depends on sincere collaboration among leaders across political divides to move the country forward.
The governor blamed the Nigerian elites for the country’s deepening divisions due to their individual ambitions rather than the will of ordinary citizens.
He noted that most Nigerians desire unity and coexistence but lamented that this laudable desire is often manipulated along religious, ethnic and regional lines by political elites for their personal gains.
Also, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, applauded Lai Mohammed for his contribution to nation-building, saying his shoes are too big to fill.
He said: “Lai Mohammed’s shoes are very big to fill for so many reasons. Number one, he has been in public service for a very long time. He was once an opposition spokesperson for over ten years. He is also the longest-serving minister of information in this country.
“Speaking on behalf of the government is a very difficult role. Lai Mohammed is the most criticised member of that cabinet. Navigating through some thorny issues requires some skills. What I try to do is to avoid some of the potholes to the extent that some people say this man is not talking like Lai Mohammed, they said Lai Mohammed has gone with the microphone.
“He has played his own role towards the development of our country and I have learnt a few things from him. And I will continue to do my job the best way I can. Some people accused me of not doing it the way Alhaji Lai was doing it. I am still doing those things, but in a way that is a bit different.
“There are two things that Alhaji Lai Mohammed did that stood him out;
“He brought the International Press Institute to Nigeria for the first time ever. His tenure also witnessed the beginning of the bid to host the UNESCO category 2 media and information literacy institute.”
Also, Lai Mohammed has said he nearly resigned from office during the toughest moment of the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The toughest decision I took as Minister. The most difficult moment of my tenure, a moment when I almost resigned,” he said.
“My uncommon access to government decision-making over a long stretch of time places a responsibility on me to preserve an accurate record, correct long-standing misconceptions and provide clarity where necessary.”
Explaining why he wrote the book, Mohammed said: “I hope that this book will serve as a resource for researchers, media professionals and students of politics, communications and public relations, among others.”
