Lai Mohammed: I Raised N150m to Fund 2019 Elections in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday disclosed that he raised the funds with which All Progressives Congress (APC) fought the 2019 general election in his home state of Kwara. Mohammed denied allegations of diversion of APC campaign funds in the state.
The minister gave this figure at a meeting with members of APC at its new state secretariat in GRA, Ilorin yesterday, denying allegations of diversion of APC campaign funds in the state.

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had alleged that a cabal within the party had received hundreds of millions of naira in donations for the 2019 general election in Kwara State but did not deliver any money to him as the state’s APC leader.
The governor had also alleged his non-involvement in the composition of a campaign structure he was asked to fund.

But at the meeting yesterday, the minister denied the allegations, noting that the last APC membership registration and revalidation in the state was a charade.
He added that no congress would take place in the state until all members are duly registered.

Mohammed said he got that assurance from acting National Chairman of APC Mai Mala Buni.
Mohammed said: “I never diverted All Progressives Congress (APC) 2019 general elections funds for my personal use as alleged by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“By the grace of God, I singlehandedly, with the support of friends, politicians, and family, raised all the monies for the Oke-Ero/Isin/Ekiti/Irepodun Federal Constituency bye-election of November 2019 that brought Hon Tunji Olawuyi to the House of Representatives.

“I challenge anybody here to say he gave the party one penny apart from what I gave them. I challenge anybody here to say he gave logistics support to the party. I did that, by the grace of God, I distributed 500 motorcycles and 20 vehicles. And many of the beneficiaries are here today.
“I want them to explain to Nigerians what happened to the N70 million that Hon Abduraheem Tunji Ajuloopin kept that the governor refused to give us during the bye-election. But for the grace of God and some friends there would be no election in November 2018, because when we raised money we gave them but two days before the election we could not reach them through their phones again.
“I had to go to friends to raise another N150 million to prosecute that election. I remember very well that there are 42 wards in that constituency. We thank God today that was the beginning of our success.

“When elections proper came we did not see our governorship candidate. We could not wait. I say without any fear of contradictions that by the grace of God with the money raised from friends, colleagues and associates, we financed the four elections and we scored 100 per cent.
“I remember a governor, when we won the first election, calling me to ask if it was true we won the bye-election. And I told him ‘yes sir.’ He said, ‘I want to apologise to you when you came to me for money they told me not to give you money. They told me you are a Lagos politician, that nobody can defeat Saraki.’

“But then we did not know that God brings more wonder. That is how we won all the elections. But they got here today and forgot the people

that put them there. They are now selling lies. They are selling. dummies. If we did not give money to the party, how did he think the party would have won?”

On the forthcoming nationwide state congresses, Mohammed said, “The Acting National Chairman of APC Mai Mala Buni has assured us that no congress will take place in Kwara until all our members are registered, and that congress will be free and fair by the grace of God.

“About two weeks ago, myself in the company of a governorship aspirant Prof Shuaib AbdulRaheem, and others went to meet with the chairman and he assured us that Kwara State is a special case and there will be no congress until we are all registered. And we believe him. When they come, please, come out in your thousands and let them know where the power lies.”