An Islamic advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of sidelining Muslims, especially from the South-West, in his appointments into key positions since assuming office on May 29.
The Executive Director of MURIC, Prof Ishaq Akintola, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, lamented that Tinubu’s appointments have so far not reflected any improvement in the status of Muslims in the region.
“Only two or three Muslims can be identified among all the ministers nominated from the South by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Akintola said in the statement.
“This is disappointing because whereas Christians from the region ganged up against him, the Muslims rallied to his support.
“Of particular importance is the fact that MURIC began the campaign for the emergence of a Yoruba Muslim president as early as 23rd February, 2021 with our visionary and rhetorical caption ‘2023: Why Has No Yoruba Muslim Ever Occupied Aso Rock? – MURIC’
“Equally didactic is the fact that MURIC based the campaign on the fact that Yoruba Muslims had been under religious persecution, political marginalisation and socio-economic ostracisation because no Yoruba Muslim had ever ruled Nigeria since independence.
“This was the argument we used to persuade the North to support our struggle and they gave us their full support.”
Akintola, however, lamented what he called the abandonment of Muslims by the Tinubu government which has abandoned those who fought for him to emerge as President.
“The story so far has not impressed Nigerian Muslims, north or south. Complaints have flooded the Muslim community. Tinubu’s appointments have not in any way allayed the fears of Muslims in the southwest.
“Equally alarming is the fact that northern scholars have started reminding MURIC that with only two Muslims out of about 17 ministerial appointments for the south, the pendulum still continues to swing the other way.
“Heaven will not fall if Muslims emerge as ministers from the South-West. Give us at least four ministers from the South West. One or two Muslim ministers from each of the south-south and south-east sub-regions will not be out of planet earth. After all, Christians are known to have emerged as ministers from core Muslim zones in the past.