I won’t run for any office in 2019, says Lai

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says he has no intention of contesting any position in the 2019 general election.

He said this at a meeting on Thursday in Ilorin, Kwara state.

According to him, rather than seek an office for himself at the polls, he would rather work with others to protect the interests of the state and its people.

He challenged stakeholders in the state “to sacrifice personal ambition for the collective interest,” warning that failure to do that could be “detrimental to the survival of the state”.

“We can’t and won’t lose the looming battle for the survival of our dear state and people,” he said.

“All that is required is for us all to subordinate our individual ambitions to the collective efforts, work to wrest our state from the hegemony of one man and his cohorts.

“On my own part, I can say here without equivocation 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 added that even though he is keen to see the All Progressives Congress (APC) regain control of the state in 2019, he is aware that achieving the goal won’t be easy.

“Make no mistake about it, the battle ahead will be tough. No one with power will ever give it up easily,” he said.