The National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Islamic Society, Mr AbdulRahman Ahmad, on Sunday said Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq deserves credit for infrastructural development recorded in the state over the past six years.

Ahmad said every government leaves its mark in the sands of time, noting that the governor has contributed to the growth of the state and should be supported with prayers to end his tenure successfully.

He spoke in Ilorin on the sidelines of a Ramadan Lecture Series held in honour of the governor, according to a statement made available to PUNCH Online.

Describing government as a social contract that works best when leaders and citizens operate in synergy, the cleric said the success of any administration depends largely on the level of support it receives from the people.

He said, "If the current administration is doing its best, contributing its quota to the infrastructural development of Kwara, who are we to discredit it? It is history itself that will evaluate and judge. My prayer is that history will judge this administration very well.

"The success of every government is determined by the level of cohesion it is able to build with or enjoy from the people, and the success of every community or state is also a function of the kind of cooperation, support, and prayers that the people extend to the government that they have all installed.

"If Governor AbdulRazaq succeeds, the credit is yours (followers), and if he fails the failure is also yours. May his government not fail. If anything happens on the contrary, it is the people that have failed. May the people not fail. May the government not fail."

Ahmad also said every government is a product of its people and urged citizens to fulfil their civic responsibilities by obeying the law and maintaining public infrastructure.

He called on politicians and public office holders to give peace and unity a chance in their dealings with one another, noting that no rancorous society can make meaningful progress.

"Government is not always on auto-drive; it is a product of the people. That is why people have civic responsibilities, such as paying their taxes, obeying rules, and doing their best to ensure that they support the policies, projects, and programmes of the government by keeping intact and maintaining infrastructure built by the government. And this is the kind of symbiotic relationship that should exist between the government and the people," he added.

Speaking on the benefits of fasting, Ahmad said Ramadan is a period of abundant rewards when Allah multiplies good deeds, urging Muslim faithful to extend kindness to others.

"This is a period that Allah has declared His bonanza. They call it Tahfizat and I call it 'buy one, get 10 free'. Buy one, not two, and get 10 free.

"Or rather, the most appropriate is just buy one and pick anything in the inexhaustible store of Allah for free. This is how generous Allah is. This is how merciful Allah is. This is how much Allah loves us. It is up to us," he said.

The cleric later delivered a lecture urging the people of the state, especially those in the Ilorin Emirate, to preserve the legacies of their forebears and work together for a greater Kwara State.

He also urged residents to avoid the pull-him-down syndrome, which he said has never helped any community.

The lecture series was attended by many Muslim faithful, including members of the state House of Assembly, cabinet members, APC leaders, and representatives of the Ilorin Emirate Council.