MURIC hits back, accuses Lagos CAN of hypocrisy over Sanwo-Olu’s commissioner nominees-list

Islamic advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has responded to the Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which accused it of playing double standards in criticizing the list of nominees for commissioners by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The group hit back and accused CAN of hypocrisy over its stance on the controversy surrounding the number of Christians among the persons nominated.

The Lagos CAN had, at a press conference on Monday, tackled MURIC and other Muslim bodies for criticising the list, saying it was in bad faith, distasteful but also condescending, insisting that the Christian body will not accept any religious bullying.

“We would like to make abundantly clear, that these remarks and actions are not only distasteful and way out of line,” the Chairman, Rev. Stephen Adegbite, had said.

But in a statement on Wednesday, MURIC Director-General, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said a press conference addressed by Adegbite in which he supported the list of commissioners submitted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is also in bad taste.

Akintola wondered if Lagos CAN could have acted the same way if it was Muslims who had 31 commissioners while Christians had eight.

“Our response to his (Adegbite’s) vituperations and irrational position is very simple,” Akintola said.

Read also: CAN tackles Muslim groups over Sanwo-Olu’s commissioners-nominee list

He added that the only reason Sanwo-Olu supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election that CAN referred to was a self preservatory move because his principal was involved.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket not because he was convinced that it was democratic and therefore right, not even because he was fully in support of a Muslim ruling the country, but because he had no choice but to support his principal and political godfather.

“Failure to do so would have endangered his chances of securing a second term. Sanwo-Olu’s perceived support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket was therefore a self-preservation move. It was not from the governor’s heart but from his pharyngeal cavity,” the MURIC DG said.

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