Elesinmeta gave the advice on Saturday during the annual Ramadan lecture organised by the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Oyo State chapter with the theme: “Islam and Good Governance”.
The cleric urged Nigerian leaders to be fair and honest in providing dividends of democracy to citizens, and called on them to pay attention to fulfilling the electoral promises they made to citizens as the country moved toward inaugurating new leaders on May 29.
He said leaders must be committed to citizens’ well-being to reduce poverty and insecurity in the land.
He also urged those in authority “not to be intoxicated by power and be wary of bad advisers, so as not to go astray.”
The cleric also urged Muslim leaders to imbibe the attitude of the Holy Prophet Muhammad to be able to deliver good governance to citizens.
He said “Islam, through Prophet Muhammad, led and shown the way and manner expected of a leader to be able to deliver good governance to citizens. “
Alhaji Ridwan Fasasi, the Chairman, MMPN, Oyo state chapter, said that the aim of the lecture was to contribute to the spiritual upliftment of Muslims, especially during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Fasasi said that the theme of the lecture was chosen to set agenda for the newly elected politicians in the country after this year’s polls unto the path of good governance, adding that Nigeria was yet to be a model of good governance since 1999.
Mr Mutiu Agboke, the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, who was presented an award at the event, promised the commitment of the commission to continue to do its best at conducting free and fair elections in the country.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Alhaja Amidat Agboola, Muhammed Bello, Ibadan Zonal Director of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), representative of Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland in Edo and Delta, among others.