Date: 2019-05-31

Kwara State's new governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq says his administration is capable of making a difference.

The Chief Judge of the state, Justice Kawu Durosinlorun, administered the oath of office to Abdulrazaq at Government House, Ilorin, as the seventh governor of the state at around 10.05am on Wednesday.

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, was among the personalities on the occasion in which the Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, represented the immediate past governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Abdulrazaq said, "What we have lacked before now are dependable and sustainable development plans, credible policies and policy discipline, accountability and transparency, a good sense of social justice and ability to expand social and political spaces that will promote tolerance, equality and innovation.

"These are areas where our government will make a difference."

He also said his administration would look into how public resources had been expended in the past.

He said, "We are confident that we shall, together, make Kwara great again through prudent deployment of resources, involving the people in policymaking, interrogating past decisions only to the extent that they enable us to move forward."

Abdulrazaq added, "I invite you all to join hands with us in government to repair and rebuild Kwara. I invite constructive criticism and urge you all to utilise our open door policy to communicate ideas and suggestions to us.

"I will revamp our education to produce the best minds that will in turn make Kwara second to none. Promote industry, agriculture, technology and social services and open up new vistas of opportunities that will promote the common good."

The governor later received the handover report from Oluwole.

Ahmed, who congratulated Abdulrazaq, said his administration left N5bn (receipts) in the coffers, while the state recently benefited from $750m World Bank grant for some development projects.