MURIC CONDEMNS ELECTION VIOLENCE, CONGRATULATES WINNERS

12^th April, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC CONDEMNS ELECTION VIOLENCE,

CONGRATULATES WINNERS

Nigerians went to the polls yesterday to decide who occupies the numero uno position in the states as well as members of the state legislature. Though generally peaceful, the elections were marred by violence in some states like Rivers and Akwa Ibom. More than six people were killed while a party stalwart was beheaded.

    

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is saddened by the spilling of the blood of the Nigerian electorate all in the name of an election. It is barbaric and despicable. We strongly denounce electoral violence in all its ramifications. We call on security agencies to fish out those behind the thuggery and hooliganism and deal with them according to the laws of the land. Elections cannot be free and fair as long as they are characterized by violence.

We regret that violence still features in Nigerian politics 55 years after independence. It shows that some major dramatis personae in the political terrain had failed to impart civilized political culture in their followers

Most regrettable is the statement credited to the Nigerian First Lady who told her followers to stone members of the main opposition. It is natural for stoning to graduate to shooting. It is didactic that her state (Rivers) have been the most volatile and the hottest trouble spot in the country during this 2015 election.

Nonetheless, we deem it fit to congratulate the winners in the gubernatorial and state assembly elections. In particular, we felicitate with the Governor-Elect in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode. We urge him to ignore ethnic provocations in order to integrate all and build a more virile and more prosperous Lagos. He must concentrate on greater achievements which he can fall back upon in 2019.

MURIC appeals to Mr. Akinwumi Ambode to come up with an acceptable plan of action in addressing the hijab affair which is of primary concern to the Muslim population of Lagos State. This will be in keeping with his promise to eschew discrimination of all sorts as contained in his acceptance speech shortly after he was declared winner today, Sunday, 12^th April, 2015. We assure Governor –Elect  Akinwumi Ambode of the goodwill and full cooperation of Muslims in the state.

Finally, we laud the spirit of sportsmanship in candidates like Governor Yero of Kaduna State and Mr. Jimi Agbaje of Lagos State who saved their states from undue tension by quickly conceding defeat and congratulating the winners, Mr. El-Rufai and Mr. Ambode.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)