POLICE INVASION OF nPDP MEETING: TIME TO CREATE STATE POLICE

30^th October, 2013

PRESS RELEASE:

POLICE INVASION OF nPDP MEETING: TIME TO CREATE STATE POLICE

The Nigeria Police recently invaded the venue of a meeting of the G7 Governors held inside the lodge of one of the governors in Abuja.

This is another disturbing development in the Nigerian political arena. It should also interest all stakeholders in the Nigerian project. It does not matter whether we are politicians or not. Nigerians must watch the style of the ruling party. Whole governors are blocked by the police from entering their lodges. The same police is used to seal up opposition secretariats. Police chiefs withdraw security details of state chief executives and now the opposition is not free to associate or hold meetings.

It all boils down to the ruling party using the police to harass the opposition. Those who have been calling for the creation of state police were right afterall. It has become very glaring that the centre is too powerful, giving credence to the saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The need to create state police formations has now become imperative. There must be balance of power.

It was this type of federal recklessness which led past politicians to call on the army to take over power in this country. The buck stops at Mr. President’s table and we hold him responsible for PDP’s political extremism. From the way and manner this country is being run, we are tempted to believe that if Allah lives in Nigeria, our leaders will attempt to break His window. There is absolute lack of the fear of Allah in the attitude of those in power.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is shocked by the impunity of the ruling party. We are deeply worried that the PDP has failed to learn from history. It adds luster to the aphorism that the only lesson that men learn from history is that men learn nothing from history. If January 15^th 1966 is too far in the annals of Nigerian history, what of the recent Egyptian military takeover of power in Egypt?

MURIC is concerned because we know the repercussions of military rule. Or is our memory so short? The features of military rule are very frightening: dictatorship, corruption, lack of accountability, arbitrary arrests, koboko mentality, infringement on fundamental human rights, etc. Our people stress the need to tell the deaf’s son about the excesses of his father so that the latter may eventually hear.

Nigerians must borrow a leaf from the Glorious Qur’an. Chapter 8 verse 25 says, “And fear a tumult which will not affect the culprits alone. And know that Allah is strict in punishment”. It is therefore not this PDP leadership alone that will suffer the consequences of its lawlessness.

MURIC appeals to well-meaning Nigerians and true patriots to call the PDP leadership to order. It was Samuel Butler who said, “Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden, not silence.” The time to speak up is now. We charge the international community to wade in now before this crisis escalates.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

08182119714

THREAT TO DEMOLISH OPPOSITION SECRETARIAT

24^th October, 2013

 PRESS RELEASE:

THREAT TO DEMOLISH OPPOSITION SECRETARIAT: 

IT IS AN INVITATION TO ANARCHY

The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) FCT yesterday insisted that the building used by the opposition party, the PDP's breakaway faction, located in the high brow Maitama District in Abuja, would be demolished for alleged violation of land use. The building has continued to be under siege, with riot policemen mounting guard around it for more than four weeks.

We observe that the same building had earlier been used as the national secretariat of another political party, the National Democratic Party (NDP), before the Baraje faction of the PDP acquired it. It is interesting that FCTA did not realise that it violated land use at that time. The fact that FCTA still wants the secretariat destroyed despite the fact that the building had been seized by the police for weeks reveals the desperation in the actions of this regime. We warn that it is an invitation to anarchy if the secretariat is pulled down. Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.     

It is also a strong piece of evidence that the ruling party is jittery. It is losing confidence in its ability to win the next election through fair means. Desperate to hold onto power, it has unleashed every weapon in its arsenal, both fair and foul, to intimidate the opposition. We therefore express the fear that the ruling party is already busy putting finishing touches to a super plan to rig the next election. The proposed national conference which the government has embraced overnight and which it is pursuing with alarming vigour may be one of the smokescreens.

It is the considered opinion of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) that FCTA's body language constitutes credible threat to a free and peaceful 2015 election. This must concern every Nigerian citizen as well as the international community. By taking these actions, this government can best be described as oppressive and tyrannical. Or how else can any sensible person describe a regime that plans to demolish a building simply because it perceives the owner to be anti-government?

It is this same regime that has subjected Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State to severe travails thereby preventing the governor from delivering the dividends of democracy to the citizens of the state. Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko was suspended from the PDP simply because he did not pick the telephone call from PDP Chairman Bamanga Tukur.

Is this democracy? The opposition is being witchhunted. Planes conveying key opposition figures are not being allowed in Nigerian airspace. The police is being used to coerce governors perceived as unfriendly. Opposition figures are being hounded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). These actions are the hallmarks of totalitarian dictatorship. President Jonathan does not brook opposition. He is an interesting study in the dictatorship of the left. The handwriting on the wall points to the fact that despots have hijacked power in Nigeria. This is a serious threat to peace in this country.

MURIC calls on all opposition parties in the country not to relent in their efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law. Nigeria must be rescued from the desperate clutches of tyrants and reactionary elements. We charge civil society to stand up and be counted in the battle for the defence of the golden principles of good governance: liberty, social justice and the rule of law.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

08182119714

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),

234-803-346-4974

234-818-211-9714

E-mail: muslimrightsconcern@yahoo.co.uk

            muslimrights@gmail.com

Website: www.muric.net

Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/muslimrights

Blog:       muslimrightsmuric.blogspot.com

Twitter:   twitter.com/muslimrights

               

MURIC's bank account :

Banker's Name: Guaranty Trust Bank

Account Name:        Muslim Rights Concern
Account Number:    0112827277

Be just Justice is the soul of peace

No one can deny one and have the other

Neither can violence or naked force bring lasting peace

PRESS RELEASE:

ANOTHER PLANE CRASH IN LAGOS:

ONE TRAGEDY TOO MANY

Another  plane has crashed in Lagos. The plane, belonging to Associated Airlines, crashlanded one minute after take off. The plane was headed for Akure with about 20 on board. It was conveying the corpse of deceased ex-Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, who was due for burial in his home town of Iju-Odo this weekend. Report indicated that 16 of the people on board died in the crash while there were four survivors. Widow of the deceased ex- Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, Funke, his first son; son of former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, Deji; son of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and owner of MIC Undertakers, Okusanya and workers of MIC are suspected to be among the victims.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) commisserates with those who lost their beloved ones in this tragic plane mishap. We charge the Nigerian authorities to do something urgently to arrest the spate of air mishaps in the country. All aircrafts must be thoroughly inspected to ensure their airworthiness. Those found to be unfit should have their licences withdrawn. In addition, an inquiry must be conducted to identify the immediate and remote causes of this plane crash. Any person or persons found culpable must be made to face the wrath of the law in order to serve as deterrent to such lapses in future.

We also nurse the fear that corruption in the aviation industry may have been responsible for the failure of aviation officials to detect faulty aircrafts and stop them from being used to ferry Nigerians. Nigerians must therefore come together to fight the corruption cankerworm which has eaten so deep into the anatomy of the nation.

Finally, MURIC condoles the Agagu family who appears to have borne the brunt of this crash. We feel the pains of all those who lost dear ones. May Allah strentghen them all and give them cause to smile again very soon.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08182119714

SALLAH MESSAGE

SALAH MESSAGE:

START SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM NOW  

Muslims around the world are now marking the Id al-Kabir to commemorate the spiritual experiences encountered by Prophet Ibrahim (may he be blessed) his wife Hajarat and those of his son Ismail.   The crux of the lessons in the Salah lies in readiness to make sacrifices in the interest of others, willingness to fulfill promises and to implement agreements. Prophet Ibrahim who was still childless at old age made a pledge to Allah that he would sacrifice his son if Allah gave him one. Despite the serious implications of this pledge, he actually took concrete steps to actualize it.  

Herein lies a big lesson for Nigerian leaders and politicians who have formed the habit of reneging on their promises. Nigerian politicians take the electorate to mountain tops where they show them El Dorado which is often denied the people once politicians get what they want. Strategically relevant to this is the current shutdown of the nation's universities occasioned by the Federal Government's refusal to honour agreements reached with university teachers since 2009.   This failure on the part of the Federal Government has resulted in unbearable pain for both students and their parents. It has also been a major cause of juvenile delinquency since the leaders have failed to lead by example.

  The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) sends a wakeup call to the Federal Government. Everything else will fall into place if leaders lead by example. Something urgent must be done to take care of Nigeria's army of unemployed youths. We suggest a social security system that ensures that every jobless Nigerian receives a token amount capable of feeding him. In the alternative, feeding centers should be established in all local governments where unemployed people can eat at least twice daily. This will boost Nigeria's efforts to check the menace of insecurity.  

The youth are angry because they are hungry. These youths now vent their spleen on fellow Nigerians through kidnapping, armed robbery and bokoharamism. Government must act now to reduce hunger in the land. The Nigerian police and army are already overwhelmed by the growing number of criminals in the country. Government should complement their efforts by tackling hunger. The clarion call of Shaykh Abdullahi bin Fudi to leaders in his Diya ulHukkam is very pertinent here: that  the greatest blameworthy act a leader can commit is to eclipse himself from his followers.  

  We remind fellow Muslims and politicians to live in accordance with God's wishes. This is a day that reminds that we need to be upright, moral and honest. Muslims are meant to live a higher level of obedience to the creator, so too the community. They should also understand that our purpose in life here is to live in obedience to the Creator's will.   MURIC calls on Muslims all over the country to use the Id al-kabir period to pray for the return of peace in the country. The prayer points should also include Allah's guidance for Nigeria's leaders and an end to disasters like aeroplane crashes, flood and the collapse of buidings.  

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08182119714