10th June, 2023
PRESS
RELEASE:
AREGBESOLA’S
APOLOGY : YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN – MURIC
An Islamic
human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described the
former Minister of Internal Affairs and two-term governor of Osun State, Rauf
Aregbesola, as a pain in the neck and an outcast in the South-West Ummah.
The Executive
Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, gave the description after the
former minister allegedly apologised two days ago but was later quoted as
denying the apology. Akintola spoke on Saturday, 10th June 2023.
He said :
“The former Minister of Internal Affairs and
two-term governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, was widely quoted two days
ago as apologising for his misdeeds in the state (https://dailytrust.com/aregbesola-begs-oyetola-for-forgiveness-over-feud/;
https://thenationonlineng.net/osun-apc-crisis-aregbesola-seeks-forgiveness/).
“He allegedly said, ‘I am saying
it today and I am begging for forgiveness. After this, we are not going to beg
anybody again. We didn't offend anyone and we don't believe anyone offended us
but it's possible that they believe we offended them, that's why we are
apologising to them.’
“But another media house later quoted him as denying the apology.
The report said, ‘According to him, the reports
in some sections of the media that he blamed the devil and seeking for
forgiveness is untrue and misleading.’ (https://tribuneonlineng.com/aregbesola-denies-apology-report-says-he-hold-no-grudges/).
.
“So, which of the
reports are we expected to believe? How can he apologise and claim that he did
not apologise afterwards? Aregbesola comes across as a recalcitrant confusionist
and an unrepentant anarchist. He is an unmitigated disaster.
“For the
records, Aregbesola will go down in history as the Muslim politician who did so
much for the Muslim community when he was in office but went back out of office
to undo all the good things he had done. The Muslims will not forget how he
liberated them from persecution over the use of hijab and how he gave them
hijrah holiday.
“But they
will never forgive him for truncating a Muslim administration and handing it
over to a Christian on a platter of gold. Rauf Aregbesola is on his own as far
as South-West Muslims are concerned and only him can tell Nigerians why he
excommunicated himself from the Ummah.
“We have no
doubt that as at today, no responsible Islamic organisation in the sub-region
will hobnob with Aregbesola. Neither will any conscious and committed Muslim
individual associate with him.
“Aregbesola
has demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that he felt no remorse for the
disaster which he brought upon Southern Muslims. There was only one Muslim
among the 17 governors in Southern Nigeria. That was Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola of
Osun State. Today, there is no single Muslim among all the 17 governors after
Aregbesola’s treacherous and irrational action against South-West Muslims.
“But for the
intervention and far-sightedness of Northern politicians led by former Governor
Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Aregbesola would have repeated the same treacherous
feat in the case of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Or did anyone see him in
Tinubu’s campaign train?
“How can such
a man claim that he does not know who he had offended. Aregbesola should
understand what he is up against. This is not about Oyetola at all. His grouse
against Oyetola is personal. Aregbesola actually offended the Ummah. He robbed
South-West Muslims. He gave our mandate to a Christian pretender knowing fully
well what he stands for. Aregbesola put a poisonous dagger in the heart of the
Ummah.
“He still has
a case to answer with the Muslims even if Oyetola forgives him. Even beyond
that, he still has an eschatological burden on his hands because he will still
account for his actions before Almighty Allah.
“This is what
most Nigerian politicians do not know. They think everything will end here on
earth. But the truth is that every leader is a khalifah (i.e.
representative) of Allah on earth and the real Ruler is going to hold them to
account both in barzakh (period between burial and resurrection) and in al-Akhirah
(the Hereafter).
“Allah will
ask Aregbesola, ‘Why did you abandon the Ummah? Why did you sell their mandate
to a non-Muslim? Why did you divide the Ummah? Why did you make the Muslims
unhappy? Why did you rob the Muslims of their only governor in the whole
Southern region? Why?’
“The Prophet peace be upon him told the Muslims
before he died : ‘Whoever cheats us is no longer with us’ (Mon gashaanaa,
falaisa minna). Aregbesola was the vehicle used to rob South-West Muslims in
the last gubernatorial election in Osun State. He did it willingly and revelled
in it. From now on, only hypocrites among the Muslims will associate with him.
“Aregbesola
cannot deny it. He forgot there was going to be a tomorrow. We have clips of
his video and audio performances where he rejoiced at the loss of the Muslim
governor and where he mocked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who, today, is a
Muslim president of whom we are so proud and happy.
“We are watching Muslim politicians throughout
Nigeria particularly the public office holders among them. We will blacklist
any of them who proved to be of no benefit to the Muslims around him or her and
those who emulate the black sheep. There is no single Islamic scholar in the South-West
who did not appeal to Aregbesola. But did he listen? Muslim politicians who have
no respect for Islamic scholars will not fear Allah. Such Muslims have no
business holding public offices.
“To Aregbesola we
have this to say, ‘You should have been sacked as a minister. But you can continue
to live in self-deceit. If your fellow politicians will not tell you the truth,
we will tell you. If no Islamic organisation will tell you, MURIC will tell you
your standing in the Ummah today. Your apology is meaningless. You cannot eat
your cake and have it. Pocket your apology.
“You
conspired with a Nurudeen who jumped the fence a long time ago but who pretends
that he is still a Muslim. MURIC asked him pertinent questions sometime ago but
he is yet to respond. No principled politician will touch you with a long pole
and no serious Islamic organisation or individual Muslim will have anything to
do with you. You are a pain in the neck and an outcast in the South-West Ummah.
You are on your own (O. Y. O.)”
#PocketYourApology
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC).
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