3rd March, 2022
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC TO PDP: CAUTION YOUR TARABA STATE CHAPTER
An Islamic human
rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the national
leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to call its Taraba State
chapter to order.
It will be
recalled that Taraba State Chapter of the PDP intervened in the altercations
between the state governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and MURIC. The Taraba state
chapter cautioned MURIC today, Thursday, 3rd March 2022. But MURIC
fired back immediately today calling on PDP national leadership to warn its
Taraba state chapter as the issue at stake is not politics but religious
cleansing and marginalisation of Muslims in the state in the area of
appointments.
MURIC spoke on
Thursday, 3rd March, 2022 via a press statement released by its
director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement
reads :
“Taraba State Chapter
of the PDP intervened in the altercations between the state governor, Darius
Dickson Ishaku, and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) today, Thursday, 3rd
March 2022 (https://www.nigerianeye.com/2022/03/pdp-cautions-muric-against-causing.html).
“We will like to state clearly,
categorically and emphatically that the issue at stake is not politics but
religious cleansing and marginalisation of Muslims in the state in the area of
appointments. MURIC’s grudge against Governor Ishaku has to do with the way he
has been trampling with impunity on Allah-given fundamental human rights of
Taraba Muslims.
“It has nothing
to do with his political party at all. We are protecting the interest of
Muslims in the state. We are equally interested in good governance and responsible
leadership that will ensure justice, equity and fairness to all irrespective of
ethnicity or faith.
“It is religion, not politics. But governor
Ishaku is taking his party’s state chapter to a dangerous arena by using the
party to fight Muslims. It is not done. Muslims are in the PDP in their
millions. So are they in other political parties. It will not be so wise for
the PDP to antagonise all Muslims in the party. In the same manner, MURIC
cannot fight the PDP because hundreds of our members are stakeholders in the
party. That is why we must not take sides with any political party.
“We are therefore calling on the national
leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to call its Taraba State
chapter to order because it has intervened in a matter that deeply hurts Taraba
Muslims. Ishaku should not be allowed to use his party, the PDP, to fight
Muslims.
“The denial of
jobs to Muslims in the state is aimed at impoverishing Muslims in the state.
Ditto for their subjection to humiliating promotion of their juniors at work as
well as religious cleansing whereby Muslims are sacked and replaced by
Christians. We urge PDP national body to investigate these allegations.
“Governor Ishaku
is trying to cover up his crimes against Muslims in the state by whipping up
political sentiment. But what has political allignments got to do with the
marginalisation of Muslims in the state? Did the governor’s party instruct him to
engage in anti-Muslim actions? We know that PDP will not do that.
“Again Ishaku tried to be too smart by
personalising issues and limiting it to a hate campaign by the director of
MURIC. It is sheer blackmail and it will not work. It is not about Professor Akintola but the Muslims
in the state and, by extention, all Nigerian Muslims. Making it an Akintola
affair is a cowardly attempt at cheap blackmail.
“It will be recalled that the Muslims of Taraba
under the aegis of Taraba Muslim Council held a press conference in January
2022 (just two months ago) where they accused Governor Ishaku of engaging in religious
cleansing and denial of job opportunities to Muslims (https://dailypost.ng/2022/01/22/muslim-council-in-taraba-alleges-maginalization-by-gov-ishaku/; https://www.sunnewsonline.com/taraba-muslim-council-hits-back-at-can-accuses-body-of-acting-as-government-propagandist/).
“It is therefore grossly mischievous of the
governor and the Taraba chapter of the PDP to turn round blaming MURIC and
Akintola for the allegations and accusing the duo of trying to incite religious
crisis. MURIC is used to such blackmail because each time we try to protect
Muslims from the tyranny of their traducers, the latter sing the same song.
They call MURIC unprintable names and accuse of of trying to cause religious
war. The aim is to give them the opportunity to continue their diabolical
agenda.
“Ishaku is now singing the same old song. He
is trying to hide behind one finger and living in self-denial. It cannot save
him. But the national leadership of his party needs to caution the party’s
state chapter to desist from turning a case of religious persecution to a party
affair. It will definitely backfire.
“Ishaku should address the message, not the messenger.
MURIC has issued at least five press statements on the plight of Muslims in
Taraba state between January and March 2022. No political party was mentioned
in those statements. We did not mention PDP. This can be verified on our
website (muricnigeria.com).
“So why drag the party into a problem caused
by Ishaku’s open manifestation of religious bias, provocative exhibition of
executive recklessness and unhidden acts of administrative ineptitude?
“MURIC has nothing against the PDP or any
political party for that matter. Sokoto under Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is controlled by
the PDP. Why hasn’t MURIC attacked him. Look at Bauchi under Bala Muhammed, a
PDP governor. Has MURIC ever attacked him? The same applies to Adamawa under
Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Adamawa is a PDP state and MURIC has no grudges with its
governor. The secret is good governance and equitable treatment of the
adherents of all faiths.
“It is therefore not the political party, but
the attitude of the state governor towards Muslims in the state. It is not even
about the religion of the governor. For instance, MURIC has not had any
altercation with Christian governors like Senator Duoye Diri of Bayelsa and Professor
Benedict Ayade of Cross River State.
“We are not interested in what political parties
do. Our interest lies in the welfare of Muslims in all Nigerian states and we
will continue to interrogate the actions of governors who persecute,
marginalise and traumatise their Muslim subjects regardless of what political
party they belong.
“Governors who are Muslim haters will not escape
our scrutiny. Our grudge with Ishaku is not because he is a Christian but
because he is using his political power to persecute Muslims in the state
despite the fact that the Muslims who are the majority. We reiterate: Taraba
Muslims have a date with destiny in 2023.”
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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