OSUN 2026: ADELEKE HURLED OSUN MUSLIMS INTO ABJECT POVERTY - MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎8^th August, 2026

‎‎PRESS RELEASE:

‎‎OSUN 2026: ADELEKE HURLED OSUN MUSLIMS INTO ABJECT POVERTY - MURIC

‎‎Governor Jackson Ademola Adeleke has been accused of throwing the Muslims of Osun State into abject poverty. Making the allegation on Saturday, 8^th August, 2026, was a faith-based civil liberties organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). 

‎In a statement signed by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC lamented over the level of poverty among Muslims in the state as a result of political marginalization, economic deprivation and social ostracisation of the Muslims due to the governor's anti-Muslim policies. 

‎‎"An Osun-based Muslim group yesterday questioned Adeleke's relationship with his Muslim subjects in the state. In a press conference held by the coalition of Muslim leaders under the aegis of the Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas in Osun State, the coalition complained bitterly that Adeleke denied Muslims equitable representation in his government throughout his tenure.  

‎‎"Unlike the court jesters, bootlickers and ‎rented influencers singing Adeleke's praise,  this press conference held by the  Osun Muslim group where Adeleke was accused of marginalizing Osun Muslims in all strata of governance has vindicated us (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/08/osun-muslim-group-questions-adelekes-record-backs-oyebamiji/amp/).

‎‎"MURIC gives kudos to the organizers of this press conference. They spoke truth to power when it mattered most. They have also vindicated us as permanent residents of the state who know what has been happening there. 

‎‎"Governor Adeleke boasts of renovating the mosque in the Government House. He also beats his chest over what he did with the Hajj camp in Oshogbo. But both are government's properties. They have little or nothing to do with the welfare of Osun Muslims. 

‎‎"We are talking about what will put bread on the tables of Osun Muslims. We challenge Adeleke to reveal the number of Muslims who got jobs under his administration. How many Muslims were made chairmen of the government agencies and parastatals compared to the number of Christians who enjoyed open cheque treatments? 

‎‎"17 Christians were made commissioners by Governor Adeleke whereas he gave Muslims just 7 slots. That is ratio 7:17. But is that a true reflection of the population size of Muslims and Christians in the state? 

‎‎"By inference, Osun Muslims who are the majority had access to government through 7 commissioners only while their Christian counterparts who are the minority had access to the government through 17 commissioners. Is that fair? Is that justice? 

‎‎"That explains why many Christians allegedly secured jobs under Adeleke simply by queuing at the doors of churches to await the arrival of the Christian commissioners on Sundays. It was really worth it as they have up to 17 different churches to go plus those of heads of agencies. 

‎‎"Muslim employability and their access to the corridor of power were therefore blocked by Governor Adeleke's Strait of Hormuz since he ensured that only 7 commissioners were given to Muslims in his administration. 

‎‎"As a smart Alec, Adeleke capped his edifice of deceit of Muslims by ensuring that the speaker, deputy speaker, majority leader and chief whip of the House of Assembly are Christians. That was after picking a Christian as his own deputy.

‎‎"He planned total political marginalization of Muslims in the affairs of Osun State and he achieved it. It was diabolical, unprecedented yet ingenious.

‎It has therefore been suffering galore for Muslims under Adeleke in the last three years. 

‎‎"The level of poverty among Muslims in the state as a result of this political marginalization, economic deprivation and social ostracisation due to the governor's anti-Muslim policies is simply unimaginable. 

‎‎"We therefore wonder how the same Muslims can ever think of voting for Adeleke for his second term. This governor is not coming back. We advise him to ensure that he does not forget anything in the government house. Osun gubernatorial electiin will be held on 15th August. He should start packing by 5 am on 16th August, 2026.

‎‎"Any Muslim leader or follower who canvasses for Adeleke's second term is either ignorant of these facts, a traitor or an hypocrite (munafiq). Adeleke's cup of maladministration has spilled over. He marooned Osun Muslims and hurled them into abject poverty. He will not get a second chance to repeat those atrocities. Adeleke is ...going, going, gone."

‎‎#Osun2026

‎#GovernorAdeleke

‎#TimeUp

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

REWARD ADELEKE'S EDENISATION BY REJECTING HIM ON SATURDAY - MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎10th August, 2026

‎‎PRESS RELEASE:

REWARD ADELEKE'S EDENISATION BY REJECTING HIM ON SATURDAY - MURIC

‎‎As the off-season gubernatorial election in Osun State is just five days away, an Islamic human rights body, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of nepotism. 

‎‎MURIC insists that the Governor pursued a policy of edenisation whereby people of his town, Ede, allegedly received undue favours. The group therefore called on people of other towns in Osun to reward the governor by rejecting him at the polls on Saturday, 15th August, 2026.

‎‎The statement was signed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC. 

‎‎"We are in possession of a video clip in which the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, is accused of favouring members of his family as well as the people of Ede, his hometown. 

‎‎"According to the clip, only Ede indigenes were promoted in the civil service since Adeleke became governor. That is not all. The video clip alleged that the chief of staff, four commissioners, the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, the chairman of 'O' Ambulance, the chairman of 'O'

‎His are all indigenes of Ede. 

‎‎"Not only that, the video clip went on to allege that the rector of Osun State Polytechnic, the rector of Esa-Oke Polytechnic, the Executive Secretary of Osun State SUBEB, about seventeen (17) special advisers, about 162 senior special advisers and nine (9) permanent secretaries are all from the same town, Ede.

‎‎"We are utterly flabbergasted by these revelations. As a civil society group, we are obliged to ask the good people of Osun State to verify the claims made in the video clip so as to know what to do if it is true.‎

‎"People of Osun State are the tax payers. They are also the voters. They have the right to know how the state is run. Should the claims be confirmed, they must make an important choice on Saturday when they go to the polls. They must choose between remaining slaves of one family ad infinitum thereby serving only one town or setting themselves free by rejecting Adeleke at the polls. This can be done with one stroke of the pen. 

‎‎"For microscopic clarity, we assert that MURIC has nothing against the good people of Ede. We have members in that ancient city. We have fans all over the place. We are fully on ground in Owode, Oke Gada, Country Home and Adeleke University campus (where Muslim students are forced to come to church) as well as the university neighbourhood, all in Ede town. Therefore we are not attacking Ede town per se or the indigenes. 

‎‎"Nay, this is about a leader who failed to realize that he is for all. No governor of any state has the right to concentrate on his own town alone. Minister Oyetola did not concentrate on Iragbiji when he was governor of Osun. Aregbesola did not focus the paraphernalia of governance on Ilesha alone. Oyinlola spread the dividends of democracy across board beyond Okuku. Why must Governor Adeleke give all the milk and honey in Osun to his hometown alone? 

‎‎"It is ethnic jingoism. It is myopic and parochial. It is bad governance. It is a betrayal of trust. Adeleke's oath of office was to serve the people of Osun, not one  town but he was fixated on Ede throughout his tenure. Pay day is here. Adeleke cannot win this election even if all the sands and pebbles of Ede rise from the ground to cast their votes for him on election day.

‎‎"Edenisation resulted in the abandonment of other towns. It led to the scarcity of state infrastructure in many other cities. There must be consequences for bad governance. Adeleke must pay for making other towns suffer. 

‎‎"Oshogbo felt little or no presence of the state government despite being the capital. Compared to the humongous patronage enjoyed by indigenes of Ede under Adeleke's edenisation policy, how many indigenes of Oshogbo got appointments during Adeleke's tenure? How many Ife indigenes secured employment? How many from Ilesha, Ikire, Apomu, etc? 

‎‎"Oshogbo in its entirety must therefore reject Adeleke on Saturday. The good people of Ife, Ilesha, Ejigbo, etc must turn their backs on the author of edenisation. 

‎‎"Governor Adeleke has one dogma: it is called 'winner takes all'. He has this proclivity for arrogating too much to his side and too little to others. He did it to the Muslims of Osun who got only 7 commissioners even as the state's majority religious group. 

‎‎"He has done it now to the people of Osun by adopting edenisation as a policy because he is from Ede. That is gymnastic ethnicity. Adeleke finds it difficult to correct this defect. He believes that this fundamental flaw can be masked with his 'ajobiewe' skill. He has totally forgotten that a leader should be fair to all and that balancing is required in governance. 

‎‎"You can deceive some of the people with skyscraper caps, you can distract the attention of others with dancing skills that tend to wake Michael Jackson from the grave, but you cannot successfully mask your flaws from all the people all of the time. 

‎‎Come Saturday, 15th August, 2026, the people of Osun are bidding goodbye to ethnic chauvinism. The come has come to become. The game is up.

‎‎#Osun2026

‎#NoToEdenisation

‎#PayDay

 

‎‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

PFN, OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUPS INSISTING ON BUS PREACHING DESPITE BAN HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW - MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎5^th August, 2026

‎‎PRESS RELEASE:

‎‎PFN, OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUPS INSISTING ON BUS PREACHING DESPITE BAN HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW - MURIC

‎‎The president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has threatened to mobilise 65 million Christians to continue preaching in commercial buses despite the law banning bus preaching. 

‎‎Reacting to the threat, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has vowed that Nigerian Muslims will hand over bus preachers to the police if they insist on disturbing public peace inside commercial buses. 

‎‎MURIC's vow was contained in a statement circulated on Wednesday, 5th August,  2026 by the group's Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola. 

‎‎"Bishop Francis Wale Oke, president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has threatened to mobilise 65 million Christians to continue preaching in commercial buses despite the law banning bus preaching. 

‎‎"His exact words were, 'We will break that law because our master told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature and you sit somewhere there and say that we shouldn’t preach in buses? We will preach in buses, we will preach everywhere because you are evil and making evil decrees...' (https://punchng.com/well-keep-preaching-in-buses-pfn-president-vows-to-defy-proposed-ban/?amp).

‎‎"In the first place, this statement constitutes an incitement. Bishop Wale Oke is inciting Nigerian Christians to disobey the law, to cause commotion. Secondly, the Bishop is aware that preaching in the bus violates the law but he is determined to break it. Note the words, 'We will break that law'.

‎‎"Thirdly, Bishop Wale Oke has failed to realise that there is a line of demarcation between houses of God and public spaces. He believes Christians should preach everywhere, anywhere, any time without considering any discomfort to any other person. 

‎‎"This is rather unfortunate. We are surprised that a whole bishop  is insisting on breaking the law even when the Bible teaches otherwise.

‎"Romans 13:1-7 says, 'Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves'.

"But here is a bishop misleading Nigerian Christians to 'receive condemnation upon themselves' by disobeying the law banning bus preaching. The PFN leader said 65 million Christians are ready to go to jail over bus preaching. It is quite a pity that pity cannot pity itself.

‎‎"For the avoidance of doubts, the ban on bus preaching is not new. It has been part of Nigeria's laws since 2007. Technically, therefore, it is an extant law. 

‎‎"Even the Senate has recently clarified that the prohibition of preaching and hawking in commercial buses is not a new law but has been part of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act since 2007.

‎‎"Contrary to the wrong impression that it is being introduced by the 10th Senate, the provision has always existed under the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, No. 22 of 2007.

‎‎"Pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are already offences.

‎‎"The 10th Senate merely renumbered the provision from Item 36 to Item 49 in the Second Schedule of the Act without altering its substance. All the hullabaloo over the law or 'bill' banning bus preaching is much ado about nothing. 

‎‎"It is crystal clear that Bishop Wale Oke is inviting anarchy but MURIC will toe the path of dialogue because that is our motto: 'Dialogue, Not Violence' for the Bible says, 'Blessed are the peace makers'. 

‎‎"The Glorious Qur'an says, 'The true servants of Allah, the Merciful, are those who walk humbly on the earth who, when the ignorant people behave insolently towards them, they say, 'Peace be unto you' (25:63).

‎‎"We therefore appeal to Muslims nationwide to remain calm and restrain themselves in the face of undue provocation from bus preachers. 

‎‎"This is not cowardice. It is maturity coupled with humility and piety. Instead of reacting when bus preachers make your trips uncomfortable, Muslims are advised to safely get evidence. You can report the bus preacher to law enforcement agents at police checking points. You can also report them to FRSC officers on the road and send the evidence to MURIC headquarters as you have been doing before. 

‎‎"Nigerian Christians have a penchant for forceful conversion. They possess a strong inclination towards converting people under duress. Propelled by the hope of pecuniary benefit accruing to larger congregation from fat tithes, they embrace reckless and inconsiderate proselytisation with both arms. 

‎‎"Having realised that the higher the number of those converted through reckless preaching the higher the number of people who will pay tithes, bring offerings and sow seeds, they play rough and neat to get converts. All this noise over the ban on bus preaching is therefore for pecuniary gains.

‎"MURIC appeals to the Federal Government (FG) and state governments to be firm in implementing the ban on bus preaching. As in so many other instances, this law has suffered from lack of implementation although it has been there for 19 years.

‎‎"At the appropriate time and with the Kilimanjaro-size mountain of evidence at our disposal, we will approach the authorities. 

‎‎"If bus preachers are still not arrested after that, Muslims will challenge Christian bus preachers and hand them over to the police if they continue to disturb passengers. 

‎‎"Christians are not above the law. They don't have two heads. We will discipline them if they refuse to obey the law and if they continue to disrespect social decorum. 

‎‎"We repeat, if the police will not arrest bus preachers despite the existing law prohibiting bus preaching, they have abdicated their responsibility and encouraged lawlessness. 

‎‎"We charge Bishop Wale Oke in particular and all Christian leaders in general to 'Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar (Mathew 22:21). This can only be done by obeying the laws of the land and by respecting social decorum. It is called religious tolerance.

‎"True tolerance exists where the privacy of others and their peace of mind are respected, not where we shout and scream down their necks and force them to close their eyes even when they are driving."

‎‎#PFN

‎#RespectTheRuleOfLaw

‎#BusPreachingIsIllegal

‎#BusPreachingIsBarbaric

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

 

MARWA'S NDLEA PROVING ITS METTLE IN NIGERIA'S INSECURITY SAGA - MURIC

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎30^th July, 2026

‎PRESS RELEASE:

‎MARWA'S NDLEA PROVING ITS METTLE IN NIGERIA'S INSECURITY SAGA - MURIC

‎‎A Muslim rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has beamed it's searchlight on the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). 

‎‎In a special focus on the agency, MURIC's boss, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Thursday 30th July, 2026, described the NDLEA as indispensable in Nigeria's fight against insecurity. He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that NDLEA has free access to cutting-edge technology and full support of both state and non-state actors. 

‎‎The statement reads:

"We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), concerned about the prolonged insecurity in the land, bewildered by the severity of the barbaric behaviour of terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, hereby resolved to take a closer look at the relationship between violent crimes and drug addiction in relation to the raging cycle of insecurity in Nigeria.

‎‎"According to latest statistics, insecurity has claimed more than 628,000 lives while over 2.2 million have been abducted since 2023 alone. We can only imagine the figures from around 2012 when Boko Haram began its operations (https://businessday-ng.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/businessday.ng/life/article/the-killing-fields-inside-nigerias-staggering-human-cost-of-insecurity/). 

‎‎"Apart from the colossal loss of human lives and properties, insecurity has so far constituted the Strait of Hormuz for the economic and educational development in Nigeria as both local and foreign investors have kept a safe distance from embattled zones.‎

‎"At the same time, sporadic attacks on schools have increased thereby swelling the number of out of school children which, according to UNICEF, presently stands at 18.3 million (https://punchng-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/punchng.com/ending-nigerias-18-3-million-out-of-school-children-crisis/). 

‎‎"Yet at the bottom of Nigeria's security crisis lies the phenomenon of drug addiction so much so that many believe that if Nigeria wins the drug war, insecurity will drastically reduce by more than 60%. 

‎‎"There is ample empirical proof that bandits and terrorists abuse drugs. That is why they behave like animals. Those dangerous substances have been found in their camps. The camps of Boko Haram cleared by troops are often littered with psychotropic drugs. It is also on record that ten suppliers of hard drugs were intercepted by NDLEA in December 2021 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/12/jihad-drug-10-suppliers-of-narcotics-to-bandits-terrorists-intercepted/amp/).

‎‎"Therefore Nigeria's insecurity, to a large extent, is drug induced. Besides, arrested insurgents and bandits often show withdrawal symptoms after days in custody of security agents. They are also known to have confessed during interrogation to regular use of drugs. Some terrorists and bandits have also been captured with drugs, including pharmaceutical opioids. These discoveries underscore the role being played by drug use by terrorists and bandits.

‎‎"Meanwhile this close nexus between drugs and crimes makes it imperative to relate it to the brilliant performance of the NDLEA under its present leadership and the urgent need for FG to give unconditional support to the drug law enforcement agency. 

‎‎"FG must pay more attention to Nigeria's drug war with particular reference to its brilliant trajectory in the past six years under General Buba Marwa (rtd). NDLEA has become an inseparable partner in the war against tertorists, bandits and kidnappers. 

‎‎"In addition, we call FG's attention to the devastation global drug cartels have brought to countries like Mexico where 400,000 had died by 2021 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_drug_war),  Colombia where the death toll had reached 9,263,826 by 2022 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_conflict) and Ecuador wwhere at least one person is murdered per hour (https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260708-ecuador-s-death-canal-watery-grave-for-victims-of-gang-violence) particularly with their extreme violence and state destabilization. This proves that the drug saga has direct impact on governance.

‎‎"Fortunately the new sheriff in town has proved beyond any scintilla of doubt that he is up to the task. Under Marwa, the rate at which drug barons are apprehended while huge quantities of narcotics are seized is unprecedented. What is even more interesting in the successes recorded by NDLEA is the federal character assumed by the seizures and arrests as they occur in all geopolitical zones. 

‎‎"Exampli gratia, in June this year (2026), NDLEA bursted a Mexican drug cartel and arrested some Mexicans and their Nigerian collaborators at their drug factory ( https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/mexican-four-others-arrested-as-ndlea-uncovers-meth-lab-in-oyo-forest/). This has been the pattern in the past four years under Marwa as no week passed without NDLEA registering a significant breakthrough. 

‎‎"We affirm that illicit drug is the mother of crimes in general and the earlier we stamp it out of our society the easier for victory in the war against violent groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP and ISIS. 

‎‎"At the rate it is going, what NDLEA needs is cutting-edge technology so as to out-smart drug barons, illicit drug peddlers and their agents in every area of the game.

‎‎"MURIC charges state governments to key into NDLEA's vision in the struggle to free Nigerian youths from drug addiction thereby ridding the society of crime. It is penny wise pound foolish to leave the fire while going after the smoke. The cassu belli of Nigeria's insecurity lies in hard drugs and NDLEA is sine qua non in the war against insecurity. State governments should therefore stop treating drug issues with kid gloves.

‎‎"We call on citizens to assist NDLEA with timely and actionable information. Citizens at the grassroots must take charge at this moment because it is our war. Our children, our wives, our husbands and our relations are involved. We must stop the fire on the roof from spreading. 

‎‎"We appeal to all security agencies to up their collaboration with the NDLEA. Inter-agency cooperation is key to getting good results in this drug war. There can be no enduring success in the drug war without intelligence sharing.

‎‎"The drug brouhaha cuts across people of all faiths, all ethnicities. The duty of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) as an advocacy group for Allah-given fundamental human rights, good governance, anti-corruption, societal welfare and moral awakening, is to jog the conscience of society and its leadership. 

‎‎"It is heartwarming that this is not the first time we will speak up on the issue of drugs. We did in October 2021 by calling on Nigerians to support NDLEA's fight against illicit drug (https://dailypost.ng/2021/10/09/muric-urges-nigerians-to-support-ndlea-fight-illicit-drug/) and in November 2025 when we commended General Marwa's sterling performance at the NDLEA  (https://leadership.ng/marwas-reappointment-motivated-by-sterling-performance-muric/). 

‎‎"As we draw the curtains, we recall our position that Nigeria's insecurity, to a large extent, is drug induced. We therefore appeal to the Federal Government to ensure that  NDLEA has free access to cutting-edge technology and full support of both state and non-state actors in its war against drug cartels. Victory over insurgents and terrorists may not be guaranteed until the drug threat is drastically reduced. We must not wait until Nigeria descends into another Mexico, Colombia or Ecuador."

‎#NDLEA

‎#FG

‎#Insecurity

‎#Drug

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

OSUN 2026: PACK YOUR DANCING KITS OUT OF OKE-FIA - MURIC TELLS ADELEKE

 

MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎‎27^th July, 2026

‎PRESS RELEASE

‎OSUN 2026: PACK YOUR DANCING KITS OUT OF OKE-FIA - MURIC TELLS ADELEKE

‎‎The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised Governor Ademola Adeleke to start packing all his belongings from the government house, Oke-Fia, Oshogbo. MURIC insists that Adeleke would be defeated in the coming gubernatorial election in Osun on 15th August, 2026 for deceiving the Muslims of Osun State. 

‎‎In a statement released by the Executive Director of the human rights group on Monday, 27th July, 2026 MURIC insisted that Adeleke would be punished for playing on the intelligence of Osun Muslims. 

‎‎The full statement reads:

‎‎"As preparations for the gubernatorial election in Osun on 15th August, 2026

‎enter top gear, we remind Governor Ademola Adeleke to start packing his dancing kits out of Oke-Fia government house before it is too late.

‎

‎"Adeleke's unrenewable rent has expired. The estate agents are waiting at the gates to usher in the new landlord. Another Nurudeen, the Nurudeen with capital 'N', is here. 

‎‎"For the flyover damaged after three weeks, for the alleged 'edenisation' of governance, for alleged mishandling of local government affairs, alleged examination malpractice, etc, we can look away. 

‎‎"All those political 'crimes' are peripheral. What is tangential to us is this shoddy effort to deceive Muslims that he is one of them and still rob them of their slots. Who does that? 

‎‎"We do not wish to be misunderstood. We are not saying that Muslims do not want Christians as governors. Former governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola is a Christian and the Muslims voted for him.  He also had a Christian deputy governor,  Olusola Obada. Yet the Muslims did not rebel against their Christian-Christian ticket. 

‎‎"The secret there was that Oyinlola did not pretend to be a Muslim. He did not attempt to deceive anyone. He was transparent. The case of Adeleke is totally different. He has been too clever by half.

‎‎"While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came out boldly with his Muslim-Muslim ticket at the federal level, that dignifying stand is missing in Adeleke's Christian-Christian government. He ruled by deceit. 

‎‎"Though a Christian, he pretended to be a Muslim because he is aware that the population of the state is predominantly Muslim. That is very close to obtaining something by false means. 

‎‎"But now the wind has blown. The good people of Osun State have iidentified with the real Nurudeen. 

‎‎"Governor Adeleke has crossed the Rubicon. He will be roundly defeated in the coming gubernatorial election in Osun on 15th August, 2026. That will be his punishment for playing on the intelligence of Osun Muslims. 

‎‎"To Governor Adeleke we have this to say: 'Pack your dancing kits from Oke-Fia because another Nurudeen, the Nurudeen with capital 'N', will soon move in. He is the new landlord".

‎‎#Osun2027

‎#PackYourDancingKits

‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

 

BUS PREACHING BILL: CAN’S REJECTION IS ADMISSION OF GUILT - MURIC

 

‎ MUSLIM RIGHTS CONCERN (MURIC)

‎هيئة حقوق المسلمين

‎Motto: Dialogue, Not Violence

‎

‎25^th July, 2026

‎PRESS RELEASE:

BUS PREACHING BILL: CAN’S REJECTION IS ADMISSION OF GUILT - MURIC

A faith-based civil liberties advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has identified the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) South West zone as the sponsor of those who preach inside commercial buses. MURIC based its conclusion on a statement issued yesterday by CAN in which it expressed opposition to the FRSC sponsored anti-bus-preaching bill.

 

In a statement released to the media on Saturday, 25^th July, 2026, the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization said CAN’s rejection of the bill is an admission of guilt.

 

He added:

 

“The South-West Chairman of CAN, Bishop Barnabas Akinsanya, issued a statement yesterday, Friday 24^th July, 2026 in which he rejected the bill banning preaching inside commercial buses (https://guardian.ng/news/can-rejects-proposed-ban-on-preaching-inside-vehicles/).

“This is very disappointing. It is sad to see a parent body toeing the same path of pervasion taken by its offshoots. By taking this position and by failing to summon enough courage to guide and correct its erring members, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has abdicated its rightful status in loco parentis.

“We are not in any way surprised. In fact we had our doubts when two Christian groups, the Christian Council of Nigeria and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, spoke out during the week. We had a strong feeling that it was CAN afterall. Now the wind has blown, we have seen the ruff of the hen. It has always been CAN.

“In our statement issued on 20^th July, 2026 under the captioned ‘Opposition To Bus-Preaching Bill Exposes Selfish Agenda of Christian Leaders’ we fingered Christian leaders as those behind bus preaching but we stopped short of mentioning CAN by name. Yet we knew that this must be one of CAN’s shenanigans (https://guardian.ng/news/muric-accuses-christian-leaders-of-opposing-frsc-bill-against-preaching-in-buses/).

 

“We know the real culprit now that CAN has come out openly in its real nomenclature. CAN is the sponsor, the employer and the enabler of bus preachers.

 

But should brazen recalcitrance overwhelm the rule of law? We may also want to ask ‘Is CAN civilized to have openly embraced bus preaching?’

“CAN hides under the pretext that ‘the provision could restrict citizens’ constitutional rights’. CAN is talking about the rights of a single preacher to disturb a large majority of commuters who are inside the bus. Some using the opportunity to relax, some students going through lecture notes, some businessmen calculating their next moves, etc.

“Is the single preacher the only one that has constitutional rights? What of the 17 or more others in the bus whose rights are being encroached upon by the single preacher? Can the right of the single preacher obliterate those of other passengers? CAN is standing constitutional right on its head. By the way, must the bus preacher’s command for all to ‘Close your eyes as we pray in Jesus Name’ include the driver too?

“The normal scenario inside a commercial bus is that of about 14 or 18 passengers. The bus preacher is only one person. How can one person’s rights rank over and above the rights of all the passengers, including the driver who must be allowed to concentrate.

“We put it to CAN that the correct position of constitutional right is that one man’s rights stop where the rights of others begin. It is a well known law principle that personal freedom has limits. Just like the common saying, You have the right to swing your fist but ‘Your liberty to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.’

“It simply means you are free to do as you wish, but you cannot hurt or bother other people. Yet that is exactly what CAN wants its bus preacher to do to Nigerians. The preacher is free to preach but in the specially allotted space, in the church or in assemblies of Christians only. That is the ideal position. But this religious body wants its preachers to be above the law, reckless, lawless, uncontrolable, ungovernable! It had better not be.

“CAN is inviting chaos. We warn that if this overzealous group has its way, Muslims in the country who have been silently tolerating their extreme ways will have no other option than to confront bus preachers who make life unbearable for them inside commercial buses on a daily basis. Enough is enough.

“If Christians disallow lawmakers from enacting laws capable of making Nigeria a land of peace for all, law-abiding civilized citizens who want the best for this country will rise to the occasion and do the needful. We will defend our right to decent living, our right to have peace of mind.

“The ideal situation should be that Christians are free to preach inside Christian evangelical vehicles, not one conveying people of different faiths. It will be the same with Muslims and traditionalists. But we all know those two groups do not preach inside commercial buses. Christians enjoy lording their religion over others. We say no to imposition of one faith over the other.

“We urge CAN leaders to pay special attention to Titus 2:1-8, ‘But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, ...’ That is where their leadership role will manifest properly.

“We urge Senate to forge ahead with the bill banning bus preaching and we call upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject CAN’s attempt to intimidate the presidency. Nigerians are watching closely. Nigerians are asking: Which way Nigeria? Is it decency or anarchy?

‎#CAN

‎#BusPreachingBill

‎#WhichWayNigeria

‎#DecencyOrAnarchy

‎‎

‎Professor Ishaq Akintola, 

‎Founder/Executive Director, 

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).