July 17, 2026 by Gbenga Omokhunu | Abuja
Nigerians will appreciate Tinubu’s reforms, says Lai Mohammed
…decries dearth of loyalty, integrity in Nigeria’s political system
A former Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has applauded the ongoing reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Mohammed insisted that they are necessary for the country’s development.
He said that, although the initial public reaction to the reforms was unfavourable, Nigerians will come to appreciate what Tinubu is doing for the country over time.
The former minister made the observation on Friday in Abuja during an interaction with a delegation from Bingham University, the United Nations Association-Nigeria (UNA-N), and the Institute of Leadership and Development Communication (ILDC), all led by Prof. Desmond Okocha, Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at Bingham University, Karu.
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Sharing his thoughts on communication, politics and governance in Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria, as a country, was not adequately utilising or appreciating the experience, expertise and capacity of academics, former public officers such as ministers and special advisers, among others.
Citing examples from previous administrations before President Muhammadu Buhari, the former minister said governments in Nigeria do not pay adequate attention to political communication due to ignorance or sheer negligence.
He said the practice has caused the nation and government more harm than good, referencing the handling of events around the country in the past and even currently.
The former minister said the government’s spokespersons before and after President Buhari were never on top of situations and were incapable of setting the right agenda for the government in times of crisis.
“As a Minister of Information, you must be in a position to dominate your environment. This is the essence of political communication. It is so important that you cannot afford to be reactive all the time,” he stated.
Citing the Buhari administration’s handling of the EndSARS protest, the Dapchi girls’ abduction, the P&ID saga and the counter-insurgency campaign, among others, he urged information handlers at the highest levels of government to be more confident and courageous, and to be more involved in real governance rather than limiting themselves to less important issues.
Mohammed particularly referenced the defeat of the PDP government in 2015, saying the APC, which was the main opposition party at the time, first defeated an incumbent PDP administration in the communication field before that culminated in an electoral defeat.
The former minister emphasised that in 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government led by President Goodluck Jonathan failed in the field of communication as well as in the court of public opinion, not in the policy arena, as misconstrued in some quarters.
He said, “You campaign in poetry, but you run government in prose. This perspective underscores the importance of political communication in every government.”
“Visibility is vital for any government to win and retain the confidence of the people. We (ACN) did it as a small party when we were in Lagos and parts of the southwest.”
On governance and party politics, the former spokesperson for the Buhari government decried the dearth of professionalism and the erosion of genuine party supremacy in the Nigerian system, stating that this trend is the bane of progressive politics in the country.
He said that until Nigeria returns to an era of political party supremacy, the nation “will continue to have a fractured mirror of progressive-oriented party politics in the country.”
He urged politicians to adhere to the dictates and rules of their political parties at all times, regardless of election outcomes, to build a lasting and credible system.
The former minister said that instead of jumping from one political party to another after every election cycle, politicians should be ready to make the necessary sacrifices, both in and out of office, to put in place more enduring structures.
Alhaji Mohammed welcomed the proposed partnership between Bingham University, UNA-N and ILDC to groom future leaders, enhance the practice of political communication in Nigeria, and bridge the gap between town and gown in every field of human endeavour.
He assured the delegation of his availability and willingness to partner with like-minded organisations to enhance the nation’s leadership recruitment processes.
The high point of the visit was the presentation of an award of excellence to the former minister by the ILDC and a formal invitation to the professorial thanksgiving of Prof Desmond Okocha in Abuja on August 15, 2026.
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