ILORIN – The PDP Chairman in Kwara State, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, has advised all governorship aspirants of the party to emulate the ideas and good governance of the former governor of the state, late Mohammed Lawal.
Oyedepo gave the advice on Sunday during the 8th year remembrance service for the late former governor who ruled the state between 1999 and 2003.
The chairman pointed out that late Lawal was never sectional in his treatment of the people of the state.
He said all his projects like health centres, video viewing centres, provision of boreholes and supply of electricity were sited in all the 193 wards across the 16 local governments of the state.
Oyedepo said the late governor was a friend of the poor and empowered people across the state, irrespective of their creed, culture, religion or geographical birth place.
He added that the former governor never restricted nor concentrated development to any section of the state and ensured that contracts were given to local contractors in the state.
The chairman was a member of the state House of Assembly during Lawal’s term.
He said there was no hunger or massive graduate unemployment as it was now.
Oyedepo therefore advised governorship aspirants in PDP to study and adopt late Lawal’s manifesto and programme of implementation.
Sheikh Yahaya Salati, in his sermon at the occasion, urged aspirants to emulate late Lawal’s virtues of ruling with fear of God.
Salati said late Lawal was fond of putting God first and last before taking any action.
The cleric added that Governor Lawal emulated Prophet Mohammed by respecting covenant with the people in ruling the state.
He lamented that in the last 12 years, successors of late Lawal had failed to provide the people with water, electricity, employment and social security.
Sen. Makanjuola Ajadi, in his own goodwill message, recalled the era of late Lawal with nostalgia.
Ajadi, who is a PDP governorship aspirant, said that late Lawal, in his four years in government, wiped tears off the faces of the people of the state.
Present at the occasion were another PDP governorship aspirant, Mr Dele Belgore, while the former governor, Sen. Shaba Lafiaji, was represented by Alhaji Suleiman Dadi. (NAN)
