Tinubu wants Sharia Council to emulate RCCG, set up political department

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday told the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) to emulate the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and create a political department to promote Muslims who are into politics.

The RCCG was in the news last week after it announced the creation of a new department called the Directorate of Politics and Governance.

Though the church had released a statement saying the newly created Directorate was strictly for the “voter education of its members and not to push or support any particular candidate as being insinuated,” many still believed the Directorate was created for the purpose of galvanizing support for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who is being rumoured to be nursing the ambition of running for President in 2023, as well as other politicians who are members of the church.

However, latching on the furore the creation of the political department caused, Tinubu who is eyeing the APC presidential ticket in the 2023 election, urged the Sharia Council to also consider creating such a department to cater for Muslim politicians as well.

Tinubu, who made the appeal at the Annual National Conference and Pre-Ramadan meeting of the SCSN held at Osogbo, the Osun State, said such a department would be a “good platform for Muslims to support their colleagues vying for political positions.

Represented at the forum by the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Tunde Badmus, the former Lagos State governor said since other religions were supporting their own, there was the need for Muslims to also support their “brothers vying for political positions in Nigeria.”

He said: “Other religious groups have commenced political sensitisation by creating political departments or directorate among themselves to promote their own,” Tinubu said, in apparent reference to the RCCG Directorate of Politics.

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“You should create a political wing among yourself so that it will further gear your participation in politics. It will be a good platform to support your brothers who are vying for political positions.

“There is a need for us to act toward our prayers, the emergence of a good leader, but we need to partake in political activities.

“Almighty Allah answers our prayer through our actions, so while praying let us act towards it,” the APC leader added.

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