MUSWEN, MURIC back Southern Christian Senate presidency

THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has expressed support for the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) adoption of Senator Godswill Akpabio, a second-term Christian senator representing Akwa-lbom North-West Senatorial District in the South-South geopolitical zone, for the position of the President of the Senate in the upcoming 10th National Assembly.

MUSWEN, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Professor Muslih Yahya, agreed that the decision of the ruling party would engender an inclusive zoning arrangement ahead of the inauguration of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

The body said: “Coming at a time when some sections of the polity already nurse erroneous jitters on the Muslim-Muslim presidency, this reassuring move is most laudable.

“This bold move has the propensity of further uniting Nigeria across both tribal and religious lines.

“It is a very laudable and progressive move that is capable of engendering peace and national cohesion.

“The Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), the umbrella body for all Muslim organisations and Muslim interests in the South West of Nigeria, hereby lends its support to this Christian South-South Senate Presidency agenda.

“We use this opportunity to call on well-meaning Nigerians to support the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and vice president-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, in their onerous task of taking Nigeria to great heights.

“Elections are over. This is the time for national reconciliation. In the spirit  of our greater tomorrow, let us all join hands to usher in a new dawn in Nigeria as we inaugurate the new administration of our president-elect and vice president-elect on Monday, 29th May, 2023.”

Also, an Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), underlined the need for the position of the Senate President to go to a Christian from the South, urging all Muslims vying for the post to withdraw.

In a statement on Thursday, the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said as a major stakeholder in the affairs of Nigeria, MURIC had followed with keen interest, the imbroglio which greeted the Muslim-Muslim ticket and how it ended in Nigeria having a Muslim president-elect and a Muslim vice president-elect.

Professor Akintola said in view of this outcome and considering the multi-religious nature of the country, it is the group’s considered opinion that the post of the Senate President should go to a Southern Christian.

He stated that Nigeria needs the cooperation of both Muslims and Christians because only such collaboration can engender peace and development.

The don said: “Although we are a Muslim group, we believe very strongly that Muslims should not take all the top posts despite being the undisputed majority group in the country. Muslims must be ready to share power with their Christian compatriots. Politics is a game of give and take and Nigerian Muslims must play it right.

“We must all be ready to demonstrate willingness to work together as a people in spite of our religious differences. After all, there is no Muslim electricity supply, no Christian roads, no Muslim public transport system and no Christian naira. Our problems are identical and whatever affects our country affects both Muslims and Christians together.

“MURIC therefore calls on all Muslim candidates vying for the position of the Senate President to withdraw in order to allow Christian candidates from the South to have a free hand in the competition (preferably the South-South because the South East has occupied the post on several occasions).

“In addition, MURIC tips any suitable candidate from the North West for the post of the Deputy Senate President in view of the fact that the zone gave the largest number of votes to the party and the candidate that won the election.”