Mr. Timothy Barau Gandu, former Principal Private Secretary to late Kaduna State Governor, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, at the weekend said his former boss never touched public funds and ran a transparent and open government without discrimination of any form.

“I weep remembering the former governor, whom I would like to describe as the most experienced governor in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

Gandu, who took journalists round a newly constructed leadership centre, Jheyah Educational and Entrepreneurial Resource, Kaduna, ahead of its commission slated for July 31, 20014, said “Yakowa’s astuteness to governance and administration is second to none in the state.”

Gandu, who became emotional talking about Yakowa, also said: “Everyday I shed tears for Yakowa and place all his pictures in all the places I am. But rather than continuing shedding tears, I have chosen to tell myself that I should do something to give his soul joy.

“I grew up working with him and I can assure you that there was no one day that he walked and said we should touch public funds, not one day; and you could not even try that – those that attempted that met their waterloo. I thank God for working with him. Yakowa was a clean man and immaculate; his kind is rare to find. There is no word to paint him.”

Gandu, who later served Yakowa as Commissioner of Economic Planning, said Yakowa’s vision and sincerity are embedded in the project. His words: “If you know Yakowa very well, you will appreciate him. He grew up without a mother and father; it was a sister that took care of him and yet Yakowa without a father acquired godfathers as he moved on in life; they loved him because they saw a hardworking man and they rushed for him, yet he took and followed all the processes in civil service.

“He never jumped from one level to another; he rose from level 8 to 17 in the state. He took his time and followed the rules. You cannot say Yakowa was on level 8 and someone took him to 11 or 14; he never had that luxury. It was purely hard work until God did him wonders. I will serve him 100 times more than I served him.”

Gandu refused to comment on the present administration in the state, simply saying that he is “praying for the state.”

•Photo shows late Governor Yakowa.