In the Name of Allah,
Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY ISLAMIC ORGANISATIONS ON
LAGOS 2015 HELD AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE MUSLIM RIGHTS
CONCERN (MURIC) ON WEDNESDAY 1ST OCTOBER, 2014
Distinguished Muslim leaders,
Gentlemen of the Press,
As-Salaam Alaykum,
We welcome you to this press
briefing. This event is informed by our commitment to the adoption of dialogue
on key issues in our multi-religious and multi-ethnic society. All civilized
societies adopt this option as an alternative to violent reactions. We intend
to address two major issues today: the 2015 gubernatorial election in Lagos
State and the demand of Muslims for the use of hijab in Lagos public
schools.
2015 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION:
You are all aware of the hue and cry
made by our Christian neighbours over who should be the next governor of Lagos
State come 2015. The
Christians have insisted that the next governor must be a Christian.
This demand being made by Lagos Christians is not a secret affair. It was in
the newspapers, on radio and television.
We wish to place it on record that
by demanding that the next governor of Lagos State must be a Christian, the Christians of Lagos have
strayed into the realm of religious politics. They are now the ones
who started religious politics and nobody should try to falsify history by
turning round to accuse Muslims of mixing politics with religion or vice versa.
We the Muslims of Lagos State
believe that the faith of the next governor should not really be the issue,
rather Lagosians should fish out a trustworthy person, somebody with the right
credentials of transparency, hardwork, vision and integrity.
Lagos State needs someone who can
guarantee employment for young graduates, security of lives and properties,
freedom of speech, equal rights, justice, respect for Allah-given and
fundamental human rights as well as freedom of religion. In particular, Lagos
State needs a governor who is prepared to treat both Christians and Muslims
equally, no matter his personal religious affiliation.
In this regard, we are constrained
to reject the candidature of anyone who is being pushed down the throat of
Lagosians by Lagos Christians. This method of choosing candidates is not only
archaic and myopic but degrading and undemocratic. A choice based on primordial
sentiment must not be allowed if we want performance in office. Religion as a
major criterion for choosing a governor is highly reactionary and very
conservative.
It
has also come to our knowledge that an Islamic scholar and former member of the
Lagos House of Assembly opened declared his support for a Christian
gubernatorial candidate. This Islamic scholar claimed that he was acting on
behalf of all Islamic organizations in Lagos State. We hereby dissociate ourselves from the so
called ‘endorsement’. The purported endorsement which occurred at a rally held at
the National Stadium and beamed nationwide on television stations is nothing
short of an hocus pocus and an ego-massaging exercise.
We
assert clearly, unambiguously and categorically that Islamic organizations were
not consulted before the unauthorised ‘endorsement’. The
Islamic scholar is advised to desist forthwith from parading himself as the
mouthpiece of Islamic organizations in Lagos State while we advise
gubernatorial candidates to explore the possibility of genuine dialogue with
leaders of Islamic organizations in the state. We warn that any attempt to
shave our heads in our absence will be an exercise in futility.
We
also affirm that the Muslims of Lagos State are not aware of and have not
endorsed any candidate as running mate or Deputy Governor for any political
party, a position for which the Islamic scholar has been parading himself as a
candidate.
We
affirm without any apology to anybody that we Muslims are not second best. Neither
are we pushovers in the political arena or any field whatsoever.
Any gubernatorial candidate or
political party seeking the support of the Muslims of Lagos State must
therefore put his cards on the table by holding direct discussions with leaders
of Islamic organizations in the state. We reject clandestine arrangements with
individuals driven by their narrow and personal objectives.
We have been deceived for so long by
Lagos politicians. We have had unfulfilled promises. We have also suffered
deprivation of our Allah-given and fundamental human rights in this same Lagos.
So we say “Never again!” Never again will any single politician or group
of politicians be allowed to hoodwink Lagos Muslims into selling their birthrights
for a pot of porridge. Never again will any religious charlatan be allowed to
railroad us into submitting our political power for his personal gains. Never
again will Lagos Muslims open their doors wide for hypocrites and parasites to
enslave Muslim children.
We will take our destiny in our
hands and match forward with truth and the fear of Allah as our only weapon. We demand respect for the
dignity of the Muslim person. We demand a halt to dehumanization of Muslims,
degradation of Islamic culture and contempt for Islamic norms, values and
landmarks.
For the avoidance of doubt, nothing
in our statements suggests that we do not want Christians to rule in Lagos
State. All we are saying is that due process and objective assessment of
candidates should be the criteria, not religious sentiment. We challenge
anybody to provide proof that Lagos Muslims came out openly to demand the
installation of Muslim governors in the past.
In Fact, when we trace the history
of politics in Lagos State from 1914 when the Southern and Northern
protectorates were amalgamated we had Christians who had been governing us, we
Muslims did not complain. Why the hue and cry now?
Asiwaju
Bola Hamed Tinubu became governor on merit. Nobody brandished the banner of
Islam at his party’s convention. So did Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola. They
emerged on the platform of their political parties without any religious
consideration. Their pedigree overwhelmed all others within their party.
Paradoxically, it is on record that
the governors who returned schools to the missionaries, demolished mosques, stopped
female Muslim students from using Hijab, passed and signed the anti-Muslim Coroner
Law and Cremation Law, blocked the application of Shariah since its passage on
2nd August 2011, were also Muslims.
If it is true that Muslim governors
were instrumental to evolving anti-Muslim policies, it defeats the subjective
notion that Lagos Christians want a Christian governor. Sentiments apart, the demand
currently being made by Lagos Christians for a Christian governor in 2015 is
therefore parochial, divisive and ridiculous. It makes a mockery of
democracy. It is laughable that such a demand is coming from educated people.
Worse still, the demand by Lagos
Christians for a Christian governor seeks to set a very dangerous precedent. If
allowed to stay, future contests are likely to be preceded by conflicting
demands from Muslims, Christians and traditionalists, each gunning for one of
its adherents to become the next governor with little regard for ability to
perform, probity and accountability. How do we ensure good governance in such a
situation?
In
conclusion, we reject the demand being made by Lagos Christians for a Christian
to emerge as the next governor in 2015.
We affirm that such an arrangement
is alien to Lagos political culture. The demand is an insult to Lagos Muslims
and an assault on the psyche of the peace-loving and progressive people of
Lagos State. It also smacks of religious extremism.
We invite the Christians of Lagos
State to embrace reason by withdrawing their demand. Lagos State has been
peaceful all these years. Nobody should use religious sentiment to turn this
state of excellence into a theater of war.
This
notwithstanding, we will continue to coexist peacefully with our Christian
neighbours. We envisage a Lagos State where both Christians and Muslims enjoy
freedom of religion including freedom to practice and manifest without let or
hinderance, where they live side by side in harmony, loving, sharing and
building a strong and virile Lagos State.
CAVEAT:
We the Muslims of Lagos State will
not vote for any candidate who fails to integrate Islamic values, norms and
culture into his vision. Appointments into public offices (commissioners,
special advisers, board members and chairmen, etc) must reflect adequate
representation of Muslims.
‘NO HIJAB NO VOTE’:
The
slogan of Muslims for Lagos 2015 is ‘No Hijab, No Vote’. Hijab here is a symbol of respect for the way of life of
Muslims and a commitment by politicians to accept the legitimate demands of
Muslims. These demands will be tabled before candidates when they meet leaders
of Islamic organizations.
Let us reiterate that no secret
meeting with any individual leader, no matter how credible, will be acceptable
to Lagos Muslims. Individual leaders of Islamic organizations are therefore
given the caveat in this regard, i. e. Do not meet any political
candidate alone on behalf of Lagos Muslims. A word is enough for the wise.
Gentlemen of the press, we thank you
for listening and for devoting your time to this event. Allah bless you all.
Professor Ishaq Akintola
Director
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
Barrister Musoddiq Sanni,
Chairman
Muslim Lawyers Association (MULAN)
Barrister Ishaq Adesina,
Chairman,
Supreme Council For Shariah in Nigeria
(Lagos Chapter)
Alhaji Murtada A. Balogun
National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations (NACOMYO)
We shouldn't mix religion with politics
ReplyDeleteBut that is what the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has just done.
ReplyDelete