The Islamic human rights organization, Muslim Rights
Concern, MURIC, on Friday described Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, as a candidate that fits into its long-term
aspiration for a Yoruba Muslim President.
MURIC made the remark while noting that any party that picks
a Yoruba Christian presidential candidate may lose.
The group made the remark in a statement signed and
forwardedT by its Director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
Tinubu had on Monday hinted on running for the presidency in
2023.
The former governor of Lagos State had disclosed that he
informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to run for the Presidency
in 2023.
The APC National Leader disclosed this while addressing
journalists in Abuja, where he stated that becoming Nigeria’s president was his
life-long aspiration.
Reacting to Tinubu’s declaration, Akintola said: “It is no
longer news that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared his intention to contest for the post
of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This happened on Monday, 10th
January, 2022.
“It will be recalled that our organisation has repeatedly
demanded the emergence of a Yoruba Muslim candidate for the post of president
of this country because of the prolonged religious persecution being faced by
Muslims in the South West. We have been consistent in this demand. This is
verifiable in at least four different press statements issued by us in the
past.
“Tinubu’s declaration for the highest post in the land is
therefore a welcome development. Also in pursuit of this campaign, MURIC has
spent the last four days from Monday 10th January, 2022 (when Tinubu made his
declaration) to Thursday, 13th January consulting its state branches in the
Yoruba states : Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. The outcome of our
investigation reveals a resounding support for Tinubu’s declaration.
“All our state branches confirmed that Senator Ahmed Bola
Tinubu has been close enough to Yoruba Muslims. The Lagos chapter of MURIC also
vouched that although Tinubu is not the type that will marginalize Nigerian
Christians, at the same time, he will not estrange Yoruba Muslims or ignore
their complaints when he becomes president of Nigeria.
“This is the time Yoruba Muslims need the support of their
Muslim brethren all over the country to ensure that Tinubu emerges as the
candidate of his party at the primaries. They should also vote for him
massively during the presidential elections to ensure that he emerges as the
president of Nigeria to be sworn in on 29th May, 2023.
“This is the only fair thing that can happen to Yoruba
Muslims. Interestingly enough, nobody can claim that the advent of Tinubu as
the president of Nigeria is unfair to Yoruba Christians because at least three
Yoruba Christians have been both presidents and vice presidents of Nigeria.
“Mathew Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo was military head of state
and president (1976 – 1979, 1999 – 2007). Earnest Shonekan was interim head of
state (August 1993 – November 1993). Right now, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, a
pastor of the Redeemed Church, has been vice president of Nigeria for the past
seven years (from 2015 to date).
“But no single Yoruba Muslim has had the opportunity to
taste power in the centre. It is therefore the turn of a Yoruba Muslim and the
cap fits Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim born into a strong Muslim family. Yoruba
Muslims are proud of Tinubu as a politician of timber, caliber and caterpillar.
He has the mandate of Yoruba Muslims.
“We sound out a caveat emptor to all political parties in
the country. Any party that picks a Yoruba Christian as its presidential
candidate is on its own. Yoruba Muslims and, indeed, Muslims North and South,
will not vote for such a candidate.
“We do not wish to be misunderstood. We will therefore
reiterate our position on Christian candidates in the coming presidential
election. MURIC has no objection to Christian candidates emerging from any
other geo-political zone. It means we are not saying that a Christian cannot be
president of Nigeria. We are simply saying that such a Christian should not be
a Yoruba man or woman.
“Yoruba Muslims have been marginalized for so long.
Politically, Christians have monopolised ministerial positions, state
commissionership, boards and agencies. Economically, civil service jobs are
selectively offered. The education sector has been the Archiles heel of Yoruba
Muslims and a concentration camp where Muslim children are forced to adopt
Christian culture. A Christian president from the South West will therefore
turn the headache of Yoruba Muslims into migraine.
“MURIC will not be partisan. We will give all political
parties a level playing ground. Therefore, we will also support any other
political party that picks a Muslim candidate from the South West. No political
party should claim that it cannot find qualified Muslim politicians when the
likes of Babatunde Fashola, Dr. Muiz Banire, Dr. Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem,
Senator Fatai Buhari, Rauf Aregbesola, etc, are making waves on the Nigerian
political architecture.
“Our target is the liberation of Yoruba Muslims from the
shackles of political marginalisation, socio-economic repression and
educational enslavement. While MURIC will never exhibit enmity, derision or
contempt towards Christians and people of other faiths, it has zero tolerance
for Muslim haters. Aluta continua : no retreat, no surrender until victoria
acerta.”
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