By ‘Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Wife of a seasoned broadcaster and the immediate past Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mallam Modibbo Lanre Kawu; Alhaja Saadat Modibbo-Kawu, has thrown her hat in the ring to contest for Ilorin federal constituency seat at the Federal House of Representatives.
Alhaja Modibo-Kawu, who resigned as Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, in Kwara State, to pursue her political dream made this known during her ‘Thank-You’ visit to the secretariat of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Ilorin.
She told journalists that she owed them the honour of briefing them as the respected colleagues of her husband, who gave her absolute support as a commissioner in the government of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State.
She is contesting for the Ilorin East/Ilorin South federal constituency at the House of Representatives, flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress, APC, come the election time in 2023.
Kwara State government had earlier last week announced a resignation deadline for political office holders seeking elective offices ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The journalist’s wife disclosed that she had resigned from the state cabinet which felt quite, proper to visit and interact with journalists in the state and thank them for the support given her as the commissioner at different times over two ministries in the last three years.
She said, “People have said yes, I have done a lot in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, but I kept telling them that I didn’t work alone, I had distinguished men and women like you that have assisted me in getting things done.
“Because I know what the media and publicity mean, which exactly is what you have done for me, you have done a lot to publicize such achievements. So, I most sincerely thank you for this and that is the reason I have come here this afternoon.
“I am here to let you know, in order to avoid confusion that you don’t refer to me as Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development as from today, but simply, as Saadatu Moddibo Kawu.”
She however said she would soon formally join the race for Ilorin East/Ilorin South federal constituency at her ward where she would throw her hat in the ring. She also asserted that she was ‘uniquely’ qualified for the position, at the green chamber of the National Assembly.
She added, “I am an indigene of Ilorin East by birth and an indigene of Ilorin South by marriage and that is the uniqueness of my candidacy.”
Mrs Modibbo-Kawu also referred to herself as the ‘most prepared’ among those seeking to occupy the parliament seat, having had the political aspirations since 2018, describing herself “as someone who usually draws plans ahead of endeavours.”
According to her, she had since 2018 been prepared for the Ilorin South/Ilorin East federal constituency seat race, which she told her husband about. The husband, she said at the time did not buy the idea but now, was not only in agreement, but fully supporting her in the quest.
The former commissioner also disclosed that she got the permission of Governor AbdulRazaq before taking action, saying, “The next thing I did was to reach out to my leader, our boss, His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to mention it to him that I had told my husband and that he has given me the permission and he said; okay, keep praying.”
