The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has charged Nigerian politicians to always be truthful to the electorate during and after electioneering campaigns.

The monarch urged them, especially public office seekers, to always endeavour to know the people they intend to govern and understand their plights.

Sulu-Gambari gave the charge on Wednesday while receiving a delegation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by its 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, in his palace in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Sulu-Gambari condemned some office seekers who, he said, often sit at a corner and still expect the electorate scattered across the country to cast their votes for them.

“It’s important for politicians to know the people they want to govern. They should not wait to know people only when elections are around the corner. Politicians should stop lying to the people. You can be honest and still win people’s hearts,” the Emir said.

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Sulu-Gambari, who hailed the SDP leaders’ approach to politicking, said it’s good that they were moving around the country to know the Nigerian people and identify their challenges.

The monarch blessed the leader of the team and members of his entourage, including a former Minister of Sports, Chief Solomon Lalong.

Earlier, Prince Adewole Adebayo briefed the Emir on their mission to Kwara, which he said was to hold iftar and a Ramadan lecture with Muslim faithful.

Adebayo, who noted that Nigeria is endowed with abundant resources, said: “Lack of honesty on the part of our leaders is the bane of the nation’s underdevelopment.

“At SDP, our mission is to serve God and humanity,” Adebayo said.