MUSLIM RIGHTS
CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue,
Not Violence
23rd March, 2026
PRESS RELEASE:
EL-RUFAI GAVE SOUTHERNERS THE PRESIDENCY, DESERVES BETTER
TREATMENT - MURIC
An Islamic human
rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has confirmed that
the embattled former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, gave
southerners the presidency. It therefore submitted that the former
governor, who is currently in detention, deserves better treatment.
This was contained
in a press release issued on Monday 23rd March, 2026 by the
Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The full text
reads:
"The long
period of political and socio-economic persecution faced by Muslims in
Yorubaland ignited MURIC's agitation for the emergence of a Yoruba Muslim as
the president of Nigeria. We thought such a Yoruba Muslim president, while not
being biased against Christians and others, will at least give Yoruba Muslims a
listening ear.
"MURIC was
therefore the first to demand that a Yoruba Muslim must occupy Aso Rock come
2023. Our agitation for this began in February 2021 (https://independent.ng/muric-canvasses-yoruba-muslim-presidency/).
"With a
likemind Islamic group, the Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars (led by the late
Shaykh Abdul Rasheed Hadiyatullahi) we met and persuaded President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu to show interest in the 2023 election. He agreed.
"We didn't stop there because we realised that Yoruba
Muslims alone could not get our principal to the presidency. We needed a
handshake across the Niger. We networked with Northern Muslims to link us with
the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. We saw him as the
only northern politician who has the necessary political acumen to bring the
North together on our project.
"Our meeting with El-Rufai resulted in a general
mobilisation of the North in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
particularly after El-Rufai had declared for him (https://punchng-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/punchng.com/el-rufai-declares-support-for-tinubu/).
The handshake across the Niger made this possible.
"El-Rufai's
support became crucial particularly after it became clear that the incumbent
preferred a northerner as his successor. El-Rufai boldly rejected this attempt
to keep the presidency in the North. He also openly rebuffed the shenanigans of
the former governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele on naira
redesign (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/582257-naira-redesign-why-we-rejected-buharis-out-of-court-settlement-el-rufai.html?tztc=1).
"Equally
noteworthy is a video clip showing how President Tinubu openly asked El-Rufai
to join his government and this did not happen at a private meeting. It
happened at a campaign ground, in the presence of thousands of party
enthusiasts (https://dailytrust.com/video-of-tinubu-appealing-to-el-rufai-to-work-for-him-goes-viral/)
.
"To convince Nigerians that MURIC is not fabricating this
narrative, we asked AI the following question: 'What actions did El-Rufai take
to support President Tinubu's election between 2022 and 2023?'.
"This is the
response we got: 'Between 2022 and 2023, Nasir El-Rufai acted as a crucial
northern ally for Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid. He publicly championed the
power shift to the South, [advocated for the "top-to-bottom" APC
voting strategy in Kaduna], helped secure the endorsement of northern APC
governors, and participated in key campaign activities, including a trip to
Chatham House.
"AI continues:
'Key actions taken by El-Rufai to support Tinubu include:
Championing
Southern Presidency: El-Rufai was a key proponent of the "power
shift" principle, arguing that the presidency must move to the South after
8 years of Buhari's presidency.
"'Northern
Coalition Building: He played a key role within the northern governors' forum,
facilitating support for Tinubu's candidacy.
"Top-to-Bottom"
Campaign in Kaduna: Despite challenges, he advocated for voters in Kaduna to
vote for the APC from the local level to the presidency.
Campaign
Activities: He accompanied Tinubu to major events, including the visit to
Chatham House, to boost his credibility.'
"Anyone who
thinks we lied should simply type the same question on AI: 'What actions did
El-Rufai take to support President Tinubu's election between 2022 and 2023? '
"MURIC takes full responsibility for the general mobilization
among Muslims for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We apologise to the family and
friends of El-Rufai in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general. We will not
disown what we initiated. Neither shall we abandon a leader who took up a
national assignment on our behest simply because he is currently behind bars.
"Without prejudice to the independence of the judiciary,
we assert that El-Rufai's court cases are not matters for the courts alone.
They are firmly rooted in politics. That is the bigger picture which we must
look at. MURIC cannot, in good conscience, remain silent while El-Rufai
remains behind bars. We take responsibility for bringing him into the struggle
to give Asiwaju the North. And he did. We affirm that El-Rufai did our bidding
up to the time President Tinubu was sworn in on 29th May, 2023.
"It will
therefore be a big shame and a monumental failure on the part of the political
class if the worst case scenario is enacted in El-Rufai's case while many
politicians who have cases in court continue to walk free on Nigerian streets.
All in all, the truth must be told: El-Rufai gave Southerners the presidency.
He deserves better treatment."
#ElRufai
#FriendOfTheSouth
#TrueNationalist
#LetElRufaiGo
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC).
