My loyalty to APC, Tinubu ‘100% intact’ – Says ex-Minister Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information and Culture, says his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unwavering, despite his quiet profile in recent months.

Speaking on Friday while delivering the 15th convocation lecture of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, the ex-minister said he has chosen to operate behind the scenes after years of occupying the frontline in national politics.

“I am a very loyal member of the APC. I am 100% behind this administration,” he said.

“I have played my role on the front line. Whatever I need to do now, I will pass it through the back channels. I have been privileged to serve as minister for eight years, the longest in the history of this country.”

Mohammed said his new focus is on mentorship and intellectual engagement, especially with young Nigerians across universities and polytechnics.

The former minister explained that sharing knowledge with the younger generation is crucial to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.

He recalled recent engagements at Yaba College of Technology and Olabisi Onabanjo University, where he held sessions with mass communication students.

“History repeats itself because those of us who have been fortunate don’t pass the baton,” he said. “What I am doing now is giving back to society.”

Mohammed, who insisted that politics is a lifelong journey, said no politician truly retires.

“Once you are in, you are in forever,” he added.

Defending the current administration’s approach to tackling insecurity, he urged Nigerians to be more understanding, arguing that those outside government often underestimate the complexity of the challenge.

“Many people who are not in the kitchen don’t know the fire coming out of it,” he said. “Is there any president who wants his country to be insecure? We must all encourage the government. Security is local, and intelligence begins with the community.”

He dismissed fears that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party state, describing such assertions as a product of poor historical knowledge.

According to him, defections and mass movements between political parties have always been part of Nigeria’s political evolution.

Speaking to the graduating students, Mohammed told them that success is never linear.

He urged them to embrace innovation, courage, and adaptability as they step into a world driven by artificial intelligence and industries still emerging.

He emphasised that certificates alone can no longer guarantee career breakthroughs.

“The world is not a straight road from university to your dream job. It is unpredictable and full of opportunities you may not see coming,” he said.

Mohammed drew from his own trajectory, from French graduate to PR officer, lawyer, political strategist, opposition spokesperson, and later minister, describing it as a journey shaped by reinvention and bold decision-making.

“Life will change your plans. Let it. Your dreams may change; that is not failure. It is life inviting you to grow,” he said, quoting Steve Jobs’ famous line that “you can’t connect the dots looking forward.”

He recalled how audacity opened his early career doors, narrating an incident from 1978 when he bluntly criticised a PR agency for lacking visibility.

The move embarrassed the official but earned him a job offer.

He spoke candidly about failure, recounting moments when he lost scholarships, resigned from high office with no savings, endured electoral defeats, and faced harassment during his years as opposition spokesperson.

“I resigned at 36 with a wife, four children, no house and only N12,000. It felt like the end. Two months later, I co-founded a law firm. Failure is part of the journey,” he said.

Mohammed urged the graduands to innovate, embrace risk, and reinvent themselves continuously if they hope to remain relevant in an evolving world.

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