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OIC: CAN, Ohaneze, Afenifere, all Muslim haters, MURIC says

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OIC: CAN, Ohaneze, Afenifere, all Muslim haters, MURIC says

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has slammed the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ohaneze and Afenifere for criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari for attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Saudi Arabia.

According to MURIC, in a statement by its Director, Prof. IshaqAkintola on Sunday, CAN, Ohaneze and Afenifere are in need of anti-Islamophobia vaccine for criticizing Buhari.

Prof. IshaqAkintola in the statement also took a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for accusing President Buhari of Fulanisation and Islamisation of Nigeria.

“It is pathological hatred. Those who are allergic to transparency, those who have phobia for due process, those who are ethnic bigots and those who are deeply entrenched in acrobatic religiosity are ganging up under the banner of gymnastic Islamophobia. The old order cometh again. CAN, Afenifere, Ohaneze are all Muslim-haters and what they need urgently is anti-Islamophobia vaccine.

“Come to think of it, 53 heads of state out of the 57 member-states of the OIC are being expected at the summit and majority of them are not even Muslims.

Why are they singling out Buhari? MURIC will not hesitate to give proportionate response to any attack on Islam from any quarter no matter how highly positioned.

“Those who want to attack Buhari’s government are free to do so. We may ignore them. But anyone who uses religion as a launching pad to attack any Muslim leader (not Buhari alone) will have MURIC to contend with.

“That is where OBJ crossed the red line. He accused PMB of Fulanisation and Islamisation. We have no problem with the former because it is a mirage. Fulanisation exists only in the imagination of those who concocted it. In reality, Nigerians have either consciously or otherwise turned Fulanis into endangered species, pushed from pillar to post,” Akintola said.

Read also: BUHARI AT OIC MEETING: Ohanaeze kicks, decries Gbajabiamila’s conversion to Islam

He said CAN should not continue to heat up the polity or whip up anti-Muslim sentiments but should follow the path of peaceful coexistence.

“We were all here when ex-president Jonathan turned Jerusalem to Aso Rock’s backyard and the Muslims said nothing about it. CAN should eschew selective criticism,” he said.

He also accused Afenifere and Ohaneze of hiding under socio-cultural identity to launch a crusade.

“Afenifere has always been known as a group of deceptive crusaders in a socio-cultural cloak. The group has always pursued parochial agendum. It has always represented Christian interest alone whereas it claims to speak for the South West. No sane Nigerian takes Afenifere seriously these days,” Prof. IshaqAkintola added.

Recall that CAN had kicked against Buhari’s attendance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Saudi Arabia, claiming that it has fueled the speculations about the “Islamisation agenda” of his government.
CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said the Christian body noted that Nigeria was “smuggled into OIC during the military rule.”

He wondered if the President would be ready to attend the meeting of the World Council of Churches or ask the Vice President to represent him whenever the members meet.

 

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