Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has commiserated with the government and people of Lagos State over the death of their former Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

The former governor died on Thursday at 91. He was governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983 and later served as Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime between 1993 and 1998.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, Okowa said that Jakande, a renowned journalist and elder statesman, died at a time Nigeria earnestly needed his wise counsel on critical national issues.

He remarked that the deceased was an astute politician and distinguished democrat, who provided free education to all, low and medium cost housing for the masses and opened up Lagos with good roads and portable water for the people.

He said that the demise of Jakande was a great loss to his family and the entire people of Lagos Statebecause of his consummate life-lifting accomplishments in the Centre of Excellence.

“The late Lateef Jakande, a distinguished journalist and outstanding politician will be remembered for his legacy of free education in Lagos, construction of numerous roads as well as the provision of housing and portable water for Lagosians.

“He will be deeply missed by all and sundry whose lives he affected in many ways, especially the masses and middle-class, whose course he stood for throughout his political career.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I mourn with the family of the late Lateef Jakande, the government and people of Lagos State on the passing of the nonagenarian elder statesman,” Okowa said.

He prayed that God would forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal repose.