Muslim group wants 5 out of 6 ministers Buhari’ll appoint from S’West to be Muslims

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that five ministers from South West in his new government will be Muslims.

The group made the appeal in a statement by its director, Ishaq Akintola, claiming that those professing Islamic faith, especially in the South West, have always been marginalised in ministerial appointments.

Akintola claimed Muslims are in the majority in South West but yet are always “shortchanged politically.”

According to him, South West got two Muslim ministers in Buhari’s first term, the same number he said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan also reluctantly appointed from the faith, after a protest by religious leaders.

The group therefore suggested Buhari should ensure that apart from Osun State, whose governor is a Muslim, that Muslims should be appointed as ministers in five other states in the region (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti), who have Christian governors.

“We received the worst treatment under former President Goodluck Jonathan. He appointed six ministers from the sub-region but, to our dismay, all of them were Christians. We complained about this gross injustice but he ignored us for three good years (2011 to 2014).

“A delegation of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) led by the Sultan of Sokoto met him in Aso Rock and presented this lopsidedness among other grudges. This was on Wednesday 26th March, 2014. To our surprise, Jonathan retorted by asking us why the northern states have not been sponsoring Christians in the North on pilgrimage.

“That was the kind of leader Jonathan was. We complained to him about the marginalization of a Muslim majority in the South West and he challenged us with the issue of Christian minorities in the North. That was how he exposed himself as a president whose interest lay in waging a crusade against Muslims. He reluctantly appointed two Muslims some months later. Wailers accusing President Buhari of lopsided appointments may take this as food for thought.

“MURIC is neither being selfish nor sentimental. Natural justice demands equitable representation if we are all part of the Nigerian project. By the time newly elected governors are sworn in on May 29, 2019, the South West will be having five Christian governors and only one Muslim governor. This leaves Muslims at a disadvantage in a sub-region where they are the majority.

“Unfortunately the situation was not redressed by the current administration. Of the six ministers appointed by Buhari, only two (Babatunde Raji Fashola and Adebayo Shittu) are Muslims. The remaining four are Christians. The only difference is that Buhari was not pressurized by the Muslims before he gave them two ministers. Neither were all his ministers from the area Christians like Jonathan did. Buhari gave the Muslims two slots and gave Christians four. Jonathan gave the Christians six and left the Muslims to whistle for their dinner.

READ ALSO: Obasanjo laments state of disunity, says Nigeria more divided than during civil war

“We are therefore demanding Muslim ministers in all the states where the governors are Christians (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti). This request should be considered against the backdrop of the gross marginalisation which Yoruba Muslims have faced in the past.

“As we take a break, we appeal to the presidency to consider the need to urgently address the injustice done to Muslims in the South West where they are the majority. They have always been politically marginalized despite having qualified personnel. Unfortunately Buhari’s regime has also inadvertently shortchanged them. In the name of justice, fairness and equity, therefore, we demand Muslim ministers in the five South West states where the governors will be Christians come May 29, 2019,” the statement read.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now