Osun 2018: Clerics Urge Residents To Vote A Credible, Worthy Candidate
…Laud Aregbesola On Developmental Strides
By Nofisat Marindoti
Towards the fast approaching governorship election in the State of Osun, prominent Islamic clerics have urged residents of the State not sell their votes for ephemeral gains which would in the long run, mortgage their future.
The clerics said this at the third Ramadan lecture organised by the Oranmiyan movement in collaboration with the Enroute Rauf team.
The lecture titled; Leadership, Stewardship and Transiency, was in commemoration of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s 61st birthday.
In his speech, the Chief Imam of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Ustaz Misbahudeen Orimadegun, urged the residents to look for the three basic qualities of a good leader before electing anyone into office.
“We must first look for these three things before casting our vote for them; intelligence, energy, and Integrity. Who ever has this is qualified for the office.”
While speaking, the chief Imam of Offa, Sheik Muhydeen Salman, eulogized Governor Rauf Aregbesola for giving back to the society through the infrastructural development in Osun.
Muhydeen noted that Aregbesola administration has fulfiledl his electoral promise for the residents of the state.
He noted that the reclassification of education system in Osun has given the children of the common man the opportunity to have access to quality education.
“The government built the new schools purposely for Osun residents that cannot avoid private schools for their children to benefit.
“Aregbesola has transformed the state even beyond the expectation of the people, hence the need for a successor that would continue the good job for the progress of the state.
“All the aspirants should know that God is only the King maker not a human being and it’s important to work for the masses rather than to work for selfish interest because electorate are there to vote for a candidate who would govern them.”
He warned the electorate to desist from collecting money from aspirants before electing them to an office so as be able to have a say when they fail to fulfill their electoral promise.
He advised the youths not allow themselves to be used as a political thugs, saying they should also see themselves as important persons that also have brighter futures.
He thereby tasked those seeking political power to always make provision for social infrastructure and good living condition for the masses their priority, stressing that the poor masses deserve care from their elected leaders.
According to him “Islam, governance is an instrument of service not domination or oppression. Those who exercise sovereignty are holding power as trust. Corruption has no place in governance and government of Islam.”
Another cleric, Sheik Daoud Alfanla, in his own lecture, tasked political office holders to endeavor to find out the needs of the people they govern in order to proffer solution to their problems.
Alfanla sited examples of prophets in the Qur’an who had compassion for the people they governed and urged those in the seat of power in the country to emulate them.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of the Oranmiyan Group, Mr Niyi Aluko said the Ramadan lecture was to celebrate the 61st birthday of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola who happens to be the founder and mentor of the Oranmiyan Group worldwide.
Aluko said Aregbesola was worth celebrating because he had transformed Osun in his seven and half years as governor, praying that whoever becomes the state next Governor continue with the developmental programmes of the Aregbesola’s administration.
