2027: Islamic Clerics, Politicians, Others Attend Prayer Service Held To ‘Launch’ Ladi Hassan’s Guber Bid In Ilorin
Politicians, friends, associates, religious leaders, and well-wishers attended the prayer service held to launch Alhaji Aliyu Ladi Hassan’s gubernatorial bid in Ilorin on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Alhaji Ladi Hassan, who, at different times, served as Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Special Assistant on Intergovernmental Affairs, Commissioner for Health, Chief of Staff ,Government House, Chairman, KWSUBEB and chairmen of federal boards, is a Kwara State PDP gubernatorial aspirant.
Presiding over the prayer service held in Ori-Okoh, Ilorin, the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Sheikh Abdullahi Abdulhamid noted that almost everyone has become politically conscious adding that although Islamic clerics are not politicians they would however identify where there is ‘light’ and attend events held by such people.
He also noted that Alhaji Ladi Hassan is a familiar face who is known by the people.
‘Alhaji Ladi Hassan is not a stranger to us, we know him very well. If that is what he wants, may God give it to him (amen) because it will be to our advantage, it is not only in Ori-Okoh but also in Korogbongan, in Fagba, even in Galadima House and at the palace of our Emir’ he said.
Noting that politicking is about to begin and aspirants will take turns to announce political aspirations, he added that politicians are in the habit of changing decisions and courses of action after aspirants had received assurances of support for their political ambitions lamenting that they do this freely without minding if there will be God’s judgment or not.
The Guest Lecturer, Sheikh Sulaiman Abubakar Soroh, who is the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin, urged political office seekers to trust in God emphasizing the need to place complete trust in God’s power and recognize His ultimate authority and control.
‘We must seek His Guidance and support and rely solely on Him to handle our affairs’ he added.
Talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com, Alhaji Ladi Hassan said members of his team believe that prayer is a viable means of communicating with God who has the divine power to influence earthly events hence the decision to hold the prayer service.
‘Just like you have heard during the programme, I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in the divine intervention of Almighty Allah. I believe that with God, everything is possible. Just put your trust in God. And when you talk of being qualified for the job, so many people are qualified. I am qualified and I have everything you can seek in a governor. I have everything. But I’m not the only one who has it. A lot of other people have it too. So, you have to put your trust in God and pray that He gives it to you. You look unto Him. It’s not about the power of money. It’s not about the power of somebody endorsing you. It’s not the power of godfathers because godfathers also look unto God. So, we all look unto Him. And I believe in that. That is why I decided that me and even my team, that the first thing we should do is to put Almighty Allah first.
This is the first outing I’m having as a gubernatorial aspirant . I have not done anything before now. This is the first outing I’m having. I decided to come to my country home where I was born, where I was delivered to this world. So, I decided to bring it here. To seek the blessings of Almighty Allah. The blessings of my fathers, of my mothers, of my sisters, of my uncles, of my ancestors and of my friends and family , all well-wishers and those who have been together in this journey.
I’m not a pushover in politics. I’m not a young person when it comes to politics. I’ve been around for quite some time. But notwithstanding, It’s not how long but how well. You have to seek divine intervention and talk to your God.
We have talked to Him. It may look insurmountable but with God on our side, It is a possibility. It’s not a matter of money ; not how much you have. It is about how you can interact with the people and how people believe in you. The light people see in you. How you have been conducting yourself over the years in politics and in society,
How do people see you, and the kind of person they think you are. That’s why the Imam said, ‘we saw light’. It’s not about money . It’s not that. When you join a race and you see those who have deep pockets but what do I have? I have the people.
That’s what gives me the courage. that’s what gives me the patience to pray and also say that I can give it a shot and I know by the Grace of God, It’s a possibility. I don’t have any doubts. If I have that. I would not have involved the people. I have the belief that I can make it Insha Allah’ he said.
Alhaji Hassan also said he is still liked by the ordinary people almost 10 years after leaving office because he is a relatable person.
‘It is God’s doing, I’m a grassroots person. If you look around now, you may not see big people here. There may not be many ‘political heavies’ here. But everybody is important to me , in politics it is not about former chairman, former commissioner, former governor or former president but rather a game of numbers. I have the masses with me. These are my people. That’s my primary constituency. That’s the people I belong to. I have carpenters as friends. I have labourers as friends. I have imams, I have clerics. I have all kinds of people as friends even artisans and I have also high class people. I believe in the masses. I believe in the talakawas. That’s my focus in politics. Not money. It’s not money that I’m looking for.
I want to see what I can give to my society. I want to see how I can uplift the poor people in our society. You can see poverty all around us.
So, how do we eradicate this poverty? I’m not coming into government to make money. That’s not it. I don’t need it. I want to deliver. I want to take people out of poverty. I want to take kwarans out of poverty. It’s unfortunate that we have had an administration that we have. I don’t pray that we enter another one chance . Some people have been throwing money around. Those we have never seen in politics.
You see them throw money around. I don’t have money to throw around. I throw my credentials around. I throw my ability around. I throw my qualities around. I throw my association with the masses.
That’s what I have. Iam ready to stick with the masses. How can we take our people out of poverty? That’s my concern. That’s my concern. I’m not going around to do any other thing. I’m not coming to government to make money. That’s not the issue and I don’t have money to throw around but I have the people behind me.
By the grace of God, I will not look back , Insha Allah, we are going to get there’ he added.
Ahead of the primary elections of political parties, Alhaji Ladi Hassan also urged residents of Kwara State to carry out thorough examination of the aspirants before choosing who to support in order to avoid getting into ‘one chance’
‘When we start moving around, Kwarans should look at us critically. Who are the 419s among us? Who are the liars among us? Who are the traitors among us? Who are those who don’t have credibility? They should look at our credibility. What are you bringing to the table? They should look at the various positions we have had in the past. How did you use it? When we were there, did we leave any mark? Did you help the people? Did you look at the plight of the people? They should subject us to scrutiny . We should not get into another ‘one chance’. Because we have gotten into too many. We shouldn’t get into another ‘one chance’.
They should examine us critically. They shouldn’t look at people throwing around little things and start deceiving people. No. That’s not what they should look at. They should assess us critically. What does this man or woman has to offer? He was in government, what did he do? And those who have not even been in government, they are showing their faces. They should ask them. Even if they have money, where did you get this money? Are you coming to the government house to steal more money? They should look at all these things. They should look at our credibility. They should look at the people who are throwing themselves around. They should shine their eyes. kwarans, shine your eyes and avoid falling into a ditch. And I pray that God will not make us get into another ‘one chance’ he added.
Dignitaries at the event include Barrister Tunde Olumoh, Alhaji Olanrewaju Mustapha, Alhaji Yekini Ilobu, Daudu Fagba, retired Justice S.O Mohammed, Alhaji Ahmed Olufadi, Hon Sule Onikijipa, Alhaji Tunde Raheem, and Alhaji Bolaji Owoiye- Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
